B.C. First Nations do what they can to protect their communities from this year's wildfires
CBC
Dozens of people from Yunesit'in First Nation will burn lands this spring as a mitigation effort for the upcoming wildfire season.
The community, about 300 kilometres north of Vancouver, is revitalizing traditional fire keeping practices, burning dried grass and debris to protect the community from wildfire and foster regrowth of vegetation.
"Fire is just a part of our landscape," said Russell Myers Ross, community leader for the Yunesit'in fire stewardship program and member of the Yunesit'in First Nation, part of the Tŝilhqot'in Nation.
Myers Ross's community started the program after wildfires in 2017 scorched the forest surrounding the community, and forced an evacuation of Yunesit'in.
There is a small window for the burns to take place: in April when the frost is lifting and in the fall as the air is cooling.
"It's different for Indigenous people because we're going to be seeing the growth over the years," said Myers Ross.
"Somebody from the province who might be doing prescribed burning might not have the same level of care."
He said the impacts of the burns are visible — berry bushes and grasses thrive and fire doesn't jump to the areas that were burned.
Yunesit'in is bringing in Victor Steffensen, from the Tagalaka Clan in Australia, for the spring burn. Steffensen practises traditional fire keeping in Australia and has worked with them since the onset of the program.
Myers Ross said Yunesit'in is collecting data on the vegetation and animals that return after burns, and how they improve the wellbeing of people in the community.
Work is underway in First Nations communities across B.C. to mitigate the potential for catastrophic damage from the summer wildfire season.
The fire season for 2022 was below normal with 1,758 wildfires, B.C. Wildfire Service data showed. In 2021, 1,610 wildfires burned 868,000 hectares of land.
For the last two years, Lytton First Nation, about 150 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, has been grappling with rebuilding their community from a devastating 2021 wildfire while needing to prepare for future fires.
A wildfire came within two kilometres of the community last summer.
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