Wildfire Prevention

Cattle Grazing for Fuel Management in BC’s Wildland/Urban Interface. The British Columbia Cattlemen’s Association partnered with the Province of British Columbia for a targeted grazing pilot program with the intent to reduce fire risk in wildland/urban interface areas. During the 2017 and 2018 fire seasons the value of agricultural practices, notably grazing, was evident in changing fire behaviour by helping slow, turn, or stop fires from moving across the landscape. In this pilot program, targeted cattle grazing will be used to reduce fine fuel loads and subsequently wildfire intensities adjacent to communities, utilities, and transportation corridors. The main objective of this targeted grazing treatment is to achieve a level of forage use that reduces the fine fuel load and breaks up fuel continuity across the landscape. This goes hand in hand with the objective of meeting authorized use. Although fine fuel reduction is the primary objective of the project, other objectives include maintaining important values such as wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and ecological integrity. The targeted grazing treatment is intended to remain within the level of use authorized for the tenure and meet use requirements around average stubble heights, shrub use, etc. and avoid impacts on other values, such as wildlife and riparian areas.