West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund had high praise for wildfire mitigation work being done around the community.
At council’s April 9 meeting, he singled out Dave Gill with Ntityix Resources and Gord Pratt with the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC).
“Not only during the Mt. Law fire (2021) did we witness first-hand the work that Dave and his team did in the Glenrosa neighbourhood, but again last year during the McDougall Creek fire we witnessed that work, it saved lives and it saved homes,” Brolund said.
Ntityix Resources, owned by Westbank First Nation (WFN), has completed several projects in the West Kelowna and Peachland areas over the last past few years.
Since 2016, FESBC has funded over $310 million on more than 380 projects, including those done by Ntityix.
“In the Kelowna area, we have funded approximately $4.3 million on 12 projects,” Pratt said. “Dave and his team have done $1 million on five projects.”
Ntityix has completed approximately two-thirds of a 67-hectare project in the Upper Glenrosa area.
“The mitigation works these two gentlemen have been responsible for around our community, I’ve witnessed it with my own eyes, have made the difference to saving structures and saving the forests that surround our community,” Brolund added. “FireSmart works.”
Councillor Rick de Jong also thanked Gill and Pratt and noted there are areas they can’t work on.
“We have some urban interface areas that are privately held lands that you guys can’t get on to. Some of these larger landowners need to step up to the plate.”
Ntityix has a six-person crew doing full-time wildfire mitigation work.
“This work would not occur without funding from FESBC,” Gill said.
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