The Puntzi Lake Fuel Management Project Areas have been designated as an Interface Fuel Break (IFB) and an Interface Fuel Treatment (IFT) in the Eniyud Community Forest and are embedded in areas with high structure density including residential, commercial, and industrial buildings and properties.
The main objective of the Puntzi Lake Fuel Management Project is to reduce the potential crown fire initiation, fire intensity and crown fire spread adjacent to areas with infrastructure and provide safe access and egress routes for local residents.
Other objectives include:
- Providing a safe location for suppression activities to be initiated;
- Providing a buffer that will cause wildfires to transition from crown fires to the ground;
- Improving access and firefighter safety in the event of wildfire suppression activities;
- Improving the effectiveness of aerial and ground-based fire control actions;
- Improving natural barriers that reduce the continuity of fuel loads, fire behaviour and wildfire risk;
- Reducing the Head Fire Intensity to less than 4000kW/m through surface fuel reduction; and
- Increasing public safety within the community.
The Fuel Management project objectives above will be achieved through a combination of methods which include:
- Removing dead and danger trees;
- Thinning and spacing of conifer stems;
- Pruning all retained conifer stems;
- Maintaining deciduous trees and shrubs;
- Piling and burning and/or chipping debris.
The Puntzi Lake Fuel Management Project is made up of four project areas. All project areas and prescribed fuel management treatments were developed in accordance with all legislative requirements and best management practices.
Fuel Management treatments have now been completed along the Puntzi Lake Road. Pile burning remains incomplete and will be completed this fall. The Eniyud Community Forest encourages all residents and interested parties to view the areas as an example of completed results of hand treatments.
Upcoming Community Meeting