Smokey skies will dominate the North and South Okanagan Valley for the next month as crews begin prescribed burning on Crown Land.
Burns are planned for several areas, including 250 hectares in the Bald Range, about 11km west of Summerland and north of the Princeton-Summerland road.
The Eneas Creek burn includes 40 hectares southwest of Peachland, south of Princeton Avenue.
An estimated 60 hectares will be burned west of Lumby and north of Highway 6 near Woodward Creek, as well as 62 hectares in the Satellite Hill area south of Lumby.
The BC Ministry of Forests manages Okanagan lands with low-intensity ground fire to prevent tree encroachment, rejuvenate understory plants and maintain more open grasslands.
Controlled burns, which are ignited and continuously monitored and attended by trained crews, also help control insects and disease and assist forest renewal according to the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.
The work is being done in collaboration with First Nations, local ranchers, the Grasslands Conservation Council, Shuswap Okanagan Forest Association, FORREX, the BC Wildlife Federation and the Nature Trust of British Columbia.
Weather and venting index permitting, burning will continue until May 6, 2011.
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