Throughout the summer of 2022, multiple wildfires broke out within 2 kilometres of the
NRC
's Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory
(
DRAO
). The
DRAO
lies in the White Lake Basin, in the Okanagan Valley, which is in the rain-shadow of British Columbia’s coastal mountains, resulting in one of the driest forested areas in the province—and one of the warmest areas in the summer. Efforts to suppress wildfires have resulted in an increase in fuel for fires—trees encroaching on open grasslands, denser tree stands and grasses underfoot—all veritable kindling, at risk of ignition by humans or by lightning.
Since 2018, the NRC has been working with forest management specialists and local First Nations with expertise in fire protocols to protect the unique wildlands surrounding the DRAO , and all of the wildlife and traditions it supports.
From the stars to the siya bushes, the White Lake Basin needs protection.
The DRAO is Canada's only open-access radio observatory and a testbed for Canadian technology contributions to world-class telescopes. The DRAO is surrounded by more than 5,000 acres of undeveloped land – helping to keep the site radio-quiet, which allows radio telescopes to detect the extremely faint radio signals emitted by distant objects in space.
The land also has great cultural significance. For thousands of years, First Nations communities have lived in the Okanagan. They have played an important role in wildfire management. For this reason, the NRC partnered with local First Nations to develop and implement an important plan to help protect the land.
Such protection is critical for the local ecology. The quiet grasslands surrounding the site are one of the largest remaining areas of intact natural landscape in the region, with a high level of biodiversity. The White Lake Basin hosts dozens of species at risk and critical habitats protected by the provincial and federal governments.
A plan to reduce the risk of wildfires in the White Lake Basin
From 2018 to 2021, through careful planning and engagement with local First Nations, along with local stakeholders and land users, the NRC was able to develop a wildfire treatment plan that would effectively reduce the risk and impacts of any new wildfire. This plan would also minimize adverse effects on the environment, wildlife and culturally important land.
Designed to mimic the effects of naturally occurring, low-intensity fires that are typical historically for the White Lake Basin area, the plan identified ways to reduce the amount of fire fuel, such as removing fallen or dead trees, thinning the forest canopy and removing ladder fuels.
The NRC project team collaborated with forest management specialists, local Indigenous groups with wildfire and ecological expertise and biologists to understand and manage the environmental interactions of the project. This included undertaking several environmental studies, creating environmental monitoring plans and identifying sensitive ecosystem components, cultural resources and sites to be avoided during the treatment activities.
Over the winters of 2022 and 2023, the Penticton Indian Band led the prescription treatment activities, from thinning overgrown tree stands to pruning dead tree limbs, and more, to bring the land back to a natural state.
Overall, the wildfire management project and associated treatments are considered not only to be critical to DRAO site and public safety, but also to have a net-positive impact on the environment. The NRC is extremely grateful for the advice provided by local Indigenous groups, forest management, biological advisors and local partners for protecting this important environment, which supports so many activities—from here to the stars.
The history behind the Penticton Indian, Syilx Okanagan People and wildfire management
The Penticton Indian and Syilx Okanagan People have taken care of all lands, waters and tmixʷ (all living things) within Syilx Territory since time immemorial. During the time of st'elsqilxʷ, the Syilx People were wished here by the Creator, K̓ʷuləncútn. Humans did not have the natural instincts that were inherent in all timixʷ which allowed them to survive and live upon and with tmxʷulaxʷ. Instead, K̓ʷuləncútn gave our first peoples memories - memories that have been passed from generation to generation for thousands of years.
The first peoples were also born without fur to keep them warm, without claws and sharp teeth to protect themselves, and without agility and speed to catch food. Recognizing this, the animal people sacrificed themselves so that the Syilx People could have and use them to survive within the world. By way of these gifts, a covenant was made with the Syilx; in exchange for the knowledge shared by K̓ʷuləncútn and the sacrifices made by the animal people, the Syilx People were given an important and critical responsibility: to take care of tmxʷulaxʷ and timixʷ. This responsibility has been upheld for hundreds of generations and continues to this day.
For countless generations, the Syilx have been one with the land, plants and animals. We have lived our lives in accordance with a set of deeply ingrained ethical principles which govern the way we take care of ourselves and our relatives. Our principles and protocols are applied in all instances of our lives.
There are many protocols associated with the utilization of fire on the land. Prescribed burning and forest fuel management are a critical part of Syilx land management and have been implemented in collaboration with tmixw for thousands of years. Specially trained fire keepers hold sacred knowledge regarding these protocols and bring that knowledge to bear when undertaking landscape level planning prescribed burning plans and processes.
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