Fuel Management Workshop

Hinton, Alberta January 14th-16th, 2014

Fuel Management in

• What we have done

• What is the main focus on treatments

• What are the main methods used

• What are the obstacles

• What has been successful

What We Have Done

Brushing within the City of Thompson

- Project started in 2005

- Brushing done by IA crews

City of Thompson

• Areas GPS’d •Brushed by IA Crews •Mulched every 3 years now by City •Timber Permits now issued for Salvage dead or thin green timber Paint Lake Provincial Park Brushing Cost $7430.00 for approx 4 ha Cost $9100.00 for approx 7.5 ha $1850 per ha for Mulcher $ 1200.00 per ha for the processor

Paint Lake Timber Permits

• Timber Permits were issued to cottage owners at Paint Lake • Trial for this winter • Allow them to cut dead standing within the Campground to help with the continued clean up Town of Wabowden Fuel Break Clearwater Lake Provincial Park The Pas, Manitoba Northwest Region

Pre Response Plans

Whiteshell Provincial Park

Nopiming Provincial Park

Grand Beach Provincial Park

Pre Response Plan was cooperative effort with Manitoba Fire Program, Office of the Fire Commission and Geo Manitoba

• Creation of Fire Smart Demonstration site at the Sandilands Discovery Centre – Spaced pine and limbed lower branches – Done with IA fire crews – Removed all understory – Some of the site was lost due to wind storm

• Snow Damage and Blowdown Salvage - Approx 90-100,000 ha affected, primarily Jack Pine in sandy soil - To date have harvested 40,000 m^3 - Full extent of the damage is not know, very wide spread. - Salvage harvest plans are being developed - Public had concerns with aesthetics, not whether there homes would be safe. • Insect Damage - Eastern Larch Sawfly continue to grow at 5% per year - Local demand for the wood is the driving force for the Salvage Operation Fire Smart Manitoba

• Adopted the Fire Smart in 2009 • Formed a Fire Smart Committee – Fires/Parks/Forestry/NRO’s/Cottage Assoc/Camber of Commerce • Created Demo sites through Eastern Region • Promoted throughout the province at Cottage Association Meetings, Parks Events, Boat Shows • Provincial Farm Safety Coordinator interested in helping deliver the message to Manitoba Farmers • Hydro is on board with Fire Smart Program – Widening Right of Ways • Parks is developing a Vegetation Mgmt Plan Main Focus on Treatments

• Wildland Urban Interface - 50%

• Blowdown - 30 %

• Insect and Disease - 20 %

Main Methods Used for Treatments

• Mechanical - 70 % - Feller Buncher, Mulchers, Processors

• Manual - 30 % - IA Crews

What Are The Obstacles

• Staff – Mb have very few full time fire staff for implementation of Fuel Management and Fire Smart programs

• Funding – less $ each year • Public understanding - why we are cutting trees/need for fuel reduction (public was very upset when we first brushed paint lake park) • Buy in from Senior Management – Need commitment that Fire Smart is important and must be done • Lack of Guidelines – need guidelines for implementing Fire Smart in new developments • Conflicting Mandates – Parks vs. fire vs. forestry, no commercial logging in parks, stand conversion to deciduous species • Lack of Markets – No market for sawlogs, some use for chips, some sent to , some used for cogeneration. What Has Been Successful

• Cooperation from Province and other agencies to carry out the work – OFC, Hydro Rural Municipalities

• Cooperation from within Province and our different departments – sharing of the Human Resources between Fire, Parks, Forestry, Wildlife etc.

• Use of Fire Crews for brushing during wet seasons – large workforce trained in cutting/falling procedures. Fairly inexpensive to use in smaller scale operations

Questions?

Thank You