The Cranbrook Fire Department will be conducting three separate prescribed burns this month.
One will treat high-priority sites near Moir Park, another will take place adjacent to the Phillips Reservoir and a 10-hectare burn will happen west of the road into the Canadian Rockies International Airport.
The Phillips Reservoir burn is expected to take place on Sept. 9 and the airport burn on Sept. 10. The Moir Park burn will take place sometime this month.
“Those dates are heavily dependent on the weather leading into the burns and conditions on the day of,” said director of Cranbrook Fire and Emergency Services Scott Driver.
People travelling to the airport can expect to see signage and flaggers in the burn area on the Airport Access Road but should not experience any delays.
A burn was conducted nearly 10 years ago in the Moir Park area, but the fire department determined there is an elevated risk and another burn is needed.
Private land adjacent to the park houses a number of homeless community members. The city said they will be working to coordinate additional support during the duration of the burn.
“We are working alongside non-profit organizations and agencies within the City to ensure the safety and well-being of all members of our community, should the prescribed burn at Moir Park proceed with favourable burning conditions,” said social development coordinator Marcel Germer.
“This is an important project for the long-term safety of Moir Park and the larger community.”
An additional burn west of the Phillips Reservoir will take place this fall.
A prescribed burn is also scheduled for the Kimberley area this weekend.
Crews will be burning approximately 14 hectares northeast of 8th Avenue, near the Lois Creek trail network starting on Sept. 8 if the weather allows.
Residents are asked to avoid the area while work is underway and follow all posted signage.
Something going on in your part of the Kootenays you think people should know about? Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].