Equipment now working in park to reduce fire threat

[five_alarm]

Jasper, AB - Logging in a National Park? Not quite. Specialized forestry equipment is now working in the region to selectively thin areas of dense vegetation as part of the FireSmart program. But the old rules of forestry don’t apply. The Grand Cache-based forestry company Crater Enterprises Ltd., who won the bid for the project, has had to change their technique in order to meet all the ecological requirements set out by Parks Canada. Machines have been working in the park since Nov.19 and will possibly continue into March. “It’s kind of a shift in thinking for us,” said Crater Enterprises Ltd. supervisor Ron Zapisocki. “It’s definitely not production logging-that’s what made doing this project attractive to us, it’s something new, something unique.” The $1.3 million cost of the FireSmart program should be offset by the

Source: Jasper Booster (http://www.jasperbooster.com/story.php?id=83443&linkid=304&parent=news(headlines)&)

[five_alarm]

Jasper, AB - The FireSmart program is burning ahead, with about two-thirds of the fire-risk reducing work for this winter now complete. The first major phase of the project, which entailed thinning about 30 hectares at Lake Edith, is finished. Crews are now completing work on the second major phase - to broaden the Pyramid Bench fireguard. “It’s a major step in our program in terms of fire-safety,” said FireSmart Project Manager Alan Westhaver. The fireguard, created in the 1980s, didn’t provide adequate fire protection for Jasper because of its inconsistent and often narrow width. Now, work has taken place to make the guard a consistent width of about 100 meters. “The objectives of this are to make this fireguard more effective in stopping low intensity fires,” said Westhaver. “But the fireguard doesn’t stop fires unless they are low intensity.”

Source: The Jasper booster (http://www.jasperbooster.com/story.php?id=89257&linkid=432&parent=news(headlines)&)

[five_alarm]

Jasper, AB - Local blaze-battlers are preparing for what could be another blistering fire season. Four winters of drought and recent warm weather has put Jasper National Park about a month and a half ahead of schedule in terms of the dryness of forest conditions. “Unless we get a real precipitation event, or a number of them in succession, we are expecting dry, hot forest conditions that could result in large fires,” said Dave Smith, fire/vegetation specialist for Parks Canada. “Until we get some relief with precipitation, 50 or 60 millimetres of rain, any day that’s a warm day is likely to be in high danger.” A small 0.3-hectare wildfire has already broken out this year. A few weeks ago, flames escaped from FireSmart crews working between the town and Hwy. 16, but firefighters were able to deal with the blaze right away.

Source: Jasper Booster (http://www.jasperbooster.com/story.php?id=98876&linkid=577&parent=news(headlines)&)

[five_alarm]

Jasper, AB - Alan Westhaver of Parks Canada gave council a presentation about progress with the FireSmart program and where it’s headed in the next few years. Council also passed a motion to provide up to $15,000 (including $5,000 from the Jasper Fire Department Budget) for FireSmart project operations in 2004/2005. The money will go towards promotions and communications.

Article from Nov. 10 Booster (http://www.jasperbooster.com/story.php?id=125952)
The FireSmart program in Jasper National Park is heading into its second full winter season of work and officials are calling it a “spectacular success” so far. The program began a few years back with small demonstration projects and got into full swing last winter. Last year a total of 115 hectares of forest was thinned in areas around the Jasper townsite and Lake Edith. The plan to cover costs of the program by selling wood that was collected went as expected. Last year, crews removed 218 truckloads of wood, or 8,426 metric tons. The total cost of the work performed was $743,000 and the total amount of money that Parks got back from the sale of the wood was $612,515. Kevin Van Tighem, manager of resource conservation for Jasper National Park, said the financial shortfall was not a surprise. Officials knew going in that the project would not remove wood in the same fashion as a commercial logging project.

Source: jasperbooster.com (http://www.jasperbooster.com/story.php?id=129658&linkid=1165&parent=news(headlines)&)

[five_alarm]

JASPER, AB - Phase one of the fireguard is well underway as fire crews began cutting and burning on Signal Mountain. The fireguard will provide firefighters with an anchor, or a way to hold a wildfire that might threaten the town from the south. The fireguard is 30 m to 60 m wide. Existing open areas are widened by thinning some of the surrounding coniferous trees. All the tree felling is done by hand. “We want to use Mother Nature and thin areas that have less flammable fuels,” said Dave Smith, fire and vegetation specialist. “We are basically connecting the dots.” Throughout the winter there may be puffs of smoke on the slopes between Old Fort Point and the top of Signal. The fireguard crosses Old Fort Point trails at several places and while the fire crews are working a member of the crew will be on the trail to ensure the safety of hikers Watch for the detour: FireSmart on Pyramid Bench Hikers on Pyramid Bench may hear the sounds of wood processing machines near Trail 2 and 8a, above the Catholic Church and towards the fireguard. Fire crews are working with a contractor to thin the forest between the fireguard and town. “The FireSmart-ForestWise project will substantially reduce the potential risk of wildfire to the town,” said Alan Westhaver, fire and vegetation specialist, “and significantly improve the ecological health of Jasper National Park by restoring the park’s natural fire regime.”

Source: jasperbooster.com (http://www.jasperbooster.com/story.php?id=136588&linkid=1319&parent=news(headlines)&)

[five_alarm]

JASPER, AB - Another stage of the Parks Canada Fire Smart/ Forest Wise project began on Feb. 6 in an area of forest around the tramway access road called South Whistlers.

Contractors brought in small and highly maneuverable logging machines to begin thinning the 42-hectare area. According to JNP Fire and Vegetation Specialist Alan Westhaver, work will progress south to a number of areas slated for thinning along Hwy. 93. If the weather remains cold and the ground hard enough to minimize the impact of the machinery on the forest floor, crews hope to complete a total of 107 hectares before spring.

Once completed, these areas will help protect the townsite and businesses like Jasper House Bungalows, Becker’s Chalets and Alpine Village from the advancement of wildfire from the south.

Source: jasperbooster.com (http://www.jasperbooster.com/story.php?id=213165)