Logging companies in B.C. are being nudged to take more care in addressing forest fire risks in their logging operations.
A recent audit by the Forest Practices Board highlights the need for loggers to create fuel breaks before burning slash and conduct proper fire hazard assessments.
An audit of the Valemount Community Forest Company Ltd. (VCF) found issues with bridge maintenance and fire controls. The audit looked at activities between July 2021and 2023.
“While the licensee complied with most requirements, the report identifies five significant non-compliances, two of which are related to bridge construction and maintenance,” the Forest Practices Board notes.
Auditors found no safety concerns with respect to bridges installed over the audit period, but that the licensee did not have the legally required documents outlining how it plans to ensure bridge safety.
The audit also found two “significant non-compliances” with respect to fire protection. Auditors found the company did not create fuel breaks before burning slash piles, resulting in fires spreading outside of cutblock boundaries.
"It is absolutely critical that forest operators take every precaution when abating fire hazards, especially if they are burning in a high-risk area," Forest Practices Board chairman Keith Atkinson said in a press release.
In September, an audit of Nak'al Koh Timber Ltd. also noted deficiencies with wildfire hazard assessments. The audit found the company did not complete the required fire hazard assessments for 12 cutblocks over the audit period.
An audit of BC Timber Sales and timber licence holders in the Boundary Timber Supply Area between June 2022 and 2023 likewise found inadequate fire hazard assessments.
“Once again, TSL holders failed to meet the fire-hazard assessment timelines required by the wildfire regulations,” Atkinson said. “This unfortunately is a common audit finding and is an area requiring improvement.”
