The public is being urged to use caution while travelling on Crown Land in the Cariboo where wildfires occurred in 2017, especially in areas where fireguards were established.
A fireguard is a strip of land running along a wildfire’s perimeter that is cleared of vegetation and other flammable material.
These fireguards work by slowing down the fire’s ability to spread. Fireguards are either constructed manually by ground crews or by heavy equipment.
The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development has been working diligently to rehabilitate fireguards established in the Cariboo last year.
These areas are environmentally sensitive and are not intended for vehicle traffic including off-road vehicles.
Anyone travelling within burned areas should be aware of the following risks:
- Heavy machinery (including excavators, skidders and graders) may be working on or near fireguards. Stay clear of any such machinery at all times.
- Existing off-road vehicle trails may be impassable due to the effects of fire and fireguard construction.
- Fireguards may be impassable due to a rehabilitation treatment called “pullback”, in which soil and wood debris is distributed along the fireguard.
- Trees and tree roots within burned areas can be severely damaged by fire, making the trees unstable. They could fall down without warning at any time.
- Increased water flow from the spring runoff (freshet) may have washed out sections of roads, trails and fireguards, which could result in deep ditches across your intended route.
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