Whistler, B.C. – Coming out of a fire season which saw more than $200 million dollars spent battling blazes throughout the Province, six communities have been given special recognition for their wildfire fuel reduction efforts.

 

Village of Valemount, Cariboo Regional District, Regional District Kitimat-Stikine, City of Kimberley, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and the District of Logan Lake have each been applauded by Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell for their efforts.

 

Projects spearheaded by the honourees include a bylaw requiring FireSmart principles in new developments; removing potentially hazardous forest debris for bio-energy production; and using grazing cattle to remove grasses that are highly flammable by mid-summer.

 

During the 2010 wildfire season, crews responded to more than 110 interface fires out of a provincial total of approximately 1,600 fires.