In a few weeks time, a carefully planned cultural burn will be taking place on Anderson Flats in South Hazelton within Gitxsan Territory.
It’s a joint effort involving Wilp Nikate’en of the Gitxsan Nation, the Gitxsan Laxyip Management Office, the Village of Hazelton, and the BC Wildfire Service.
The burn is intended to foster the growth of staple cultural foods and medicinal plant species throughout a 9.4-hectare area. It also has the added benefit of reducing the wildfire risk locally by cutting back on the amount of viable combustible fuels.
The exact time of the burn has yet to be determined, but it will take place sometime within a 19-day window between March 30th and May 17th, as conditions allow.
When it takes place, smoke will most likely be visible to those in the surrounding area and from Highway 16.
We’ll let you know for sure which day it’s happening once it’s been confirmed.
