In this issue we see wildfires of the future, we look at what it takes to supervise danger tree fallers, and we wonder if all the fires mean more planting. And don’t forget the WSCA Annual Business Summit 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Wednesday, September 3rd, 2014, Alpine Room, Campus Activity Centre, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC
WorkSafeBC Guideline on Summoning Qualified Assistance.pdf
2014 Summit Registration Form.pdf
Pinus Combustiblus: Chelaslie Arm—Wildfire of the Future:
Fire ecologists and fire behavior experts have been predicting wildfires like the +100,000 hectares-and-counting Chelaslie Arm wildfire for the last decade. It is the shape of more mega-fires to come in BC as it burns through mixed beetle attack PICO stands, MPB harvested blocks, plantations, and fuel matrices that include dead standing with upcoming spruce and fir understory. A perfect mess for a fuel bed, typical of vast swathes of the province at the moment.
What qualifications do contractors need to supervise danger tree fallers?:
This has been a perplexing problem for silviculture contractors due to varying interpretations of what experience or skills a “qualified” supervisor might require to manage a faller on site to deal with danger trees. There is also some ambiguity around situations involving fire suppression and forest tending crews that may comprise falling activity as well. A new WorkSafeBC guideline on summoning qualified assistance may offer a chance for comment and clarification for silviculture contractors. Click the attached PDF for the guidline. Send your comments to admin@wfca.ca.
Will all these fires burning all those hectares mean more tree planting in the future?:
Not likely. In spite of breaking some records on area burnt, future funding to reforest plantations and productive stands, lost to this year’s wildfires, is contained in the Forest Practices Branch’s Forest For Tomorrow (FFT) budget. That budget is more or less set to plant 20 million seedlings annually. Encouragingly the Premier has already promised an additional $10 million for reforestation for next year, which will help. Nevertheless, after this year’s smoke and ash settles the first order will be to see what licensees require FFT funding under FRPA 108 to replant lost plantations. Next step is to wait a few years to see what comes back naturally. After that priorities get juggled within the FFT budget. One up-side is that the fires may have site-prepped some MPB attacked stands that were on the books for FFT treatment already.
Silviculture Contractors and Nursery Operators plan to attend this September’s Annual Silviculture Business Summit
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2014
Alpine Room, Campus Activity Centre
Thompson Rivers University
Kamloops, BC