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I worked on a wildfire this summer then spent the fall doing layout for salvage harvest and assisting with the fire rehab. It gave me a chance to revisit the area mentioned in my Aug. 4 post (link below) and add to my observations on improving the wildfire resilience of our regenerated stands. Don’t Neglect […]
Read MoreThe recent discussions about forming a federal wildfire response agency have generated a lot of discussion and opinions from experts on where to focus our taxpayer money. Should we increase our response capacity or increase fuel modification? As is usual the answer is a bit of both. Our wildlands are in such poor condition we […]
Read MoreI am just finishing up the summer field season which included Line Location and Construction Supervision on a few fires in the Southern Interior of BC. Except in periods of very low fire behavior we lost fires in preserved and unmanaged land. This included parks, streamside (riparian) reserves, wildlife tree patches, special management zones (OGMA, […]
Read MoreLate last month I worked on a fire that re-burned very intensely on a site that previously burned in 2018. . This is the shortest interval and most intense re-burn I have experienced. The fire occurred in the Southern Interior. When I was given the location I relaxed a bit. The site had burned at […]
Read MoreManaging post harvest fuel loads is the best thing we can do to protect our next generation of trees but there is more we can do. In Lodge-pole Pine (Pl) stands, we should be establishing earlier crown closure through increased density of planted and natural trees. This will more closely mimic fire origin forests which […]
Read Morehttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/clearcutting-tied-to-18-fold-increase-in-flood-risk-ubc-study-1.7594426 The recent alarmist headlines and poor journalism is misleading the public into thinking that clearcutting is the leading cause of large floods. The reporting was very narrow and one-sided. None of the articles I have read researched or presented any alternate viewpoints. I am wading through the original report that is the subject of […]
Read MoreI am just back from working with a heavy equipment group on a few wildfires and once again marvel at the value these folks bring to wildfire response. The forest industry in BC is facing numerous and well documented external and internal pressures. The industry has been in decline for years and I fear it […]
Read MoreI sent this 10 minute presentation out to my customers to make sure they are aware of the research so they can make better decisions in the field. Let me know what you think. Having an at least adequate Safe Zone is a key component of LACES and Wildfire Entrapment Avoidance. All wildland fire fighters […]
Read MoreI had the privilege to have a booth at the recent Interior Logging Association Convention and Tradeshow in Kamloops. Good work to Todd and Nancy and the ILA on producing a quality and valuable event and displaying such an important segment of the forest industry. It was a pretty unique perspective to stand in a […]
Read MoreBackground As I described in my March 24 post, my 2024 Safety Audit indicated I have been negligent in my Hazard, Close Call and Incident reporting involving entrapments and burn-overs when responding to wildfires with heavy equipment. Hazard observations, Close Call and Incident Reports provide us with the free lessons and are key components of […]
Read MoreI have openings in the April 16 and 17 session at the training center in Kelowna as well as the April 29 and 30 session in Kamloops. Contact me to book a spot or to enquire about further upcoming courses. The MacLeod S100 for Industry exceeds BC Wildfire and Worksafe BC training requirments. The objective […]
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