Why Okanagan Communities Are Finally Embracing Prescribed Burns To Fight Wildfires

Smoke used to mean panic in the Okanagan. Now, local fire officials hope it means survival.

After years of watching devastating flames tear through British Columbia, communities across the valley are changing tactics. Instead of waiting for the next dry summer to spark a crisis, local fire departments are taking matters into their own hands. They are setting controlled fires on purpose.

Kelowna is leading the charge with a series of planned burns, including a strategic strike at Knox Mountain Park. It is the park's second prescribed burn in a year. If you live nearby, seeing smoke drift over the ridge might raise your blood pressure. Officials argue it is the only way to keep towns from burning down.

Weather rules everything here. You can't just pick a Tuesday and light a match. Dennis Craig, assistant chief of mitigation, risk and wellness with the Kelowna Fire Department, points out that Mother Nature calls the shots. Temperature, humidity, and venting conditions dictate when crews can move.

The strategy is straightforward. Wildfires feed on dead brush, dry grass, and overgrown timber. Clear that fuel out ahead of time, and a future wildfire loses its teeth.

"Prescribed fire doesn't eliminate fire," Craig explains. "It just reduces the severity and the intensity of the fire should a fire come through."

It is a basic concept, but public acceptance takes time. People see smoke and assume negligence. Educating residents requires brutal honesty about past fire suppression policies. For a century, we tried to put out every single spark immediately. That backfired. It turned forests into overcrowded tinderboxes.

Now, local authorities are catching up to ancient Indigenous land-management practices that used controlled fire routinely.

The scope is widening fast. The BC Wildfire Service completed 76 prescribed burns recently, jumping from 48 the year before. Lake Country and the North Okanagan are rolling out similar projects.

Capacity building is happening on the ground through initiatives like the B.C. Wildfire Service's Training Exchange, known as TREX. Firefighters from all over the province travel to Kelowna to work these burns. They gain hands-on experience handling active fire behaviour while helping municipalities clear hazardous fuel loads.

Residents like Roy Shatz, who lives near Knox Mountain, notice the shift. He watches the prep work and agrees it is long overdue. People realize that doing nothing is no longer an option.

If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, you have to adjust your expectations too. Smoke management windows are getting smaller due to climate shifts and persistent drought conditions. Fire crews have to capitalize on narrow weather windows to get work done before the fire hazard rating spikes.

Check with your local municipality for community notification systems. Clear pine needles and dead brush from your own gutters and property perimeters. Proactive defense starts at the curb.