West 麻豆精选 Fire Chief Jason Brolund had high praise for wildfire mitigation work being done around the community.
At council鈥檚 April 9 meeting, he singled out Dave Gill with Ntityix Resources and Gord Pratt with the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC).
鈥淣ot only during the Mt. Law fire (2021) did we witness first-hand the work that Dave and his team did in the Glenrosa neighbourhood, but again last year during the McDougall Creek fire we witnessed that work, it saved lives and it saved homes,鈥� Brolund said.
Ntityix Resources, owned by Westbank First Nation (WFN), has completed several projects in the West 麻豆精选 and Peachland areas over the last past few years.
Since 2016, FESBC has funded over $310 million on more than 380 projects, including those done by Ntityix.
鈥淚n the 麻豆精选 area, we have funded approximately $4.3 million on 12 projects,鈥� Pratt said. 鈥淒ave and his team have done $1 million on five projects.鈥�
Ntityix has completed approximately two-thirds of a 67-hectare project in the Upper Glenrosa area.
鈥淭he mitigation works these two gentlemen have been responsible for around our community, I鈥檝e witnessed it with my own eyes, have made the difference to saving structures and saving the forests that surround our community,鈥� Brolund added. 鈥淔ireSmart works.鈥�
Councillor Rick de Jong also thanked Gill and Pratt and noted there are areas they can鈥檛 work on.
鈥淲e have some urban interface areas that are privately held lands that you guys can鈥檛 get on to. Some of these larger landowners need to step up to the plate.鈥�
Ntityix has a six-person crew doing full-time wildfire mitigation work.
鈥淭his work would not occur without funding from FESBC,鈥� Gill said.
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