An audit of Burns Lake Specialty Wood has found some problems.
The report says the sawmill met most requirements of the Forest and
Range Practices Act but failed to comply with Wildfire Act to reduce fire hazards after logging.
Range Practices Act but failed to comply with Wildfire Act to reduce fire hazards after logging.
The Forest Practices Board chair Tim Ryan says the most concerning aspect is the assessment and disposal of slash hazards on the cut blocks.
“As we all know, Burns Lake and surrounding areas has been hard hit by the mountain pine beetle and there is a lot of dead wood standing on the ground and the fire hazards are sensitive to the number of slashes out there,” he says.
The audit also found the company was planting the incorrect type of tree seedlings in some locations and failing to carry out commitments to prevent the
spread of invasive plants.
spread of invasive plants.
The board examined the sawmill from September 2011 to October 2013 and notes that the company has fixed some of the fire hazards since then.