About 105 hectares of forest east of Cranbrook are scheduled to be harvested over the winter to help reduce wildfire risk to the community.
The section of Crown land set to be cleared is located south of the Community Forest, between Baker Mountain Road and the power lines to the north of the road.
A Community Wildfire Protection Plan assessed the land to be a high hazard for wildfires. The Regional District of East Kootenay completed the plan in 2012.
The project was initiated by BC Timber Sales, and logging will be completed by a local forestry contractor. Harvesting could begin as early as November 15, 2019. The job is expected to be finished by March 15, 2020, depending on weather and site conditions.
According to the B.C. Government, the goal of the project is to reduce the number of fuels available that could burn in a wildfire.
Timber that will be harvested has been sold through an auction on BC Bid in September 2019.
Some trails through the area will be closed while the project is underway, depending on weather and logging activities. Those trails include Logger’s Lane Trail, Fenceline Trail, Arbour Trail, Brody Trail, Forest Grove Trail, Meander Trail and Pole 62 Trail, as well as two small parking areas just north of Baker Mountain Road that provide access to Brody Trail and Forest Grove Trail.