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Inside Look: Yukon Crews Burn Grasslands to Cut Wildfire Risk
Roughly two dozen firefighters used drip torches and hose lines to clear dead grass and brush as peak fire season approaches.
Yukon Wildfire Management crews conducted prescribed burns near Whitehorse last week to reduce wildfire risk by removing dead and overgrown vegetation.
Experts at Yukon Wildfire Management draw on years of data and on-the-ground experience to design burn plans that mimic natural fire cycles and protect forests.
A team from the Southern Lakes Wildfire Base conducted the burn near Robert Service Way, south of downtown Whitehorse, using drip torches while moving in strips roughly 10 metres wide.
Crews established hose lines encircling the burn area and preemptively doused nearby foliage with water; the ignition operation lasted roughly an hour with team leaders noting how smoothly it proceeded.
With peak summer fire season fast approaching, Yukon Wildfire crews plan to conduct additional prescribed burns targeting Haines Junction and Watson Lake before conditions become too hot and dry for safe ignitions.