Fire Rehabilitation

In November 2023, the Pressy Lake Pilot Project was launched near 70 Mile House in B.C.’s Cariboo region, aimed at rehabilitating forests damaged by wildfire. The project’s dual focus was to recover dead fibre from older burn sites and improve the landscape’s resilience to future wildfires.

The Elephant Hill wildfire of 2017 scorched over 191,000 hectares, yet only a small fraction of the affected area was salvaged for sawlogs. Delays in obtaining cutting permits meant that much of the fire-killed timber deteriorated before it could be harvested. By the end of 2019, all major licensees had ceased sawlog salvage operations due to extensive decomposition.

In 2023, Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR) took on the challenge. They committed to harvesting 560 hectares specifically for biomass utilization, providing fibre for pulp mills, pellet producers, and bioenergy facilities—ensuring that residual wood material continues to support economic and environmental goals.