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County will conduct controlled burn in Adjala-Tosorontio

April 9, 2021   ·   0 Comments

The County of Simcoe will be executing a controlled burn on 40 hectares of County Forests within the Tosorontio Track.

The location is west of Base Borden near the western boundary of Simcoe County.

The controlled burn will occur as early as conditions allow and should take place between mid April and early May. It will take two days to complete.

Once the date has been determined, every effort will be made to keep stakeholders and the public informed of the situation.

A highly experienced company has been retained to plan and conduct the burn with experienced personnel on sit until it is completely extinguished.

Smoke impacts will be minimized by burning under specific wind and atmospheric conditions, however there will be times when large amounts of low-lying smoke will be present.

At other stages of the operation, a large smoke column reaching hundreds of metres into the atmosphere may be seen from many kilometres.

However, this will no cause for alarm as this is part of normal operations for the type of fuels being burned.

The County does not anticipate any road closures or any major impact or disruption to local residents.

While controlled burns differ from wildfires in that they are managed by professionals to control their duration and smoke exposure to the public, concerns may arise in regards to the potential heal implications.

Smoke exposure may pose a risk for more vulnerable individuals such as children, seniors, and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.

You can minimize your exposure to the smoke. If you live close to the controlled burn sit and have chronic health conditions such as asthma or chronic lung disease, you may wish to minimize your exposure by staying indoors during the burn.

To help reduce smoke in your home or business, keep windows and doors closed.

County Council approved the Simcoe County Forest Management Plan in 2011 to guide policies through 2030.

The Plan outlines that fire has historically played a primary role by influencing composition, structure and patterns of our forests and will be used as a strategy moving forward.

This particular controlled burn is part of a long-term plan to enhance an oak forest ecosystem. Controlled burns are common throughout Ontario and Canada. Controlled burns have been conducted previously within the County Forests with the two most recent burns occurring in 2020 within the Packard Tract in Essa Township and 2018 within the Museum Tract in Springwater Township.

By Brian Lockhart
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

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