Williams Lake, BC – In a bid to restore native grassland ecosystems in the Cariboo, a number of prescribed burns have been set for areas to the west and south of Williams Lake…

Historically, grasslands in the Cariboo-Chilcotin were renewed through frequent, low-intensity ground fires that helped prevent tree encroachment and rejuvenated the understory plants.  The Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations, is planning the controlled burns as part of an ecosystem restoration project developed in consultation with local ranchers, area First Nations, the BC Wildlife Federation, and the Cariboo-Chilcotin Conservation Society.

Areas where burns will occur include:

• approximately 3000 hectares at Crow’s Bar near the Fraser River, south of Dog Creek
• approximately 400 hectares at Ward Creek near the Fraser River, north of the Gang Ranch
• approximately 220 hectares at Beecher’s Prairie alongside Highway 20 at the Tootsie turn-off
• approximately 150 hectares on Bald Mountain, south of Riske Creek
• approximately 100 hectares at Deer Creek, near Alexis Creek

Weather permitting, the burns will begin tomorrow and run through to the end of October.