T. 250-372-1544 TF. 1-855-372-1544
E.info@plainsman.ca
Plainsman Developments held a drop-in open house in December informing of our fire hazard reduction mitigation plan and the measures that will be taken in January 2018 on our 270 acres of undeveloped forested lands in Thompson Lake.
Plainsman is an invested developer in the community of Hinton, we strive to create the most desirable communities. We believe that the most desirable communities are the safest ones!
That’s why, when we were told that the Thomson Lake area had been identified as “high-risk” for fire, we took action and engaged the local services of Mr. Terry Dodge of Wolverine Integrated Resources Management Inc. Mr. Dodge’s local knowledge and expertise has enabled Plainsman Development to develop a fire hazard mitigation plan that identifies “best practises” to reduce the risk of fire hazards in Thompson Lake.
We want to ensure that residents of Thompson Lake are informed of the tree harvesting that will begin in January, 2018. The plan accounts for noise, hours of operations and safety measures being put in place on Jack’s trail and other trail networks that exist on our private lands. Temporary truck routes will be established within the harvesting area to allow equipment and hauling of the trees to have a single point of entry and exit onto Robb Road (across from Hinton’s cemetery). There will be no need for equipment or log trucks to travel through the existing Thompson Lake Subdivision roads.
For more information please visit our website at www.plainsman.ca . You are welcome to contact our office by phone (250) 372-1544 or email at info@plainsman.ca.
Sincerely,
Jim Thomson, President
The devastating wild fires in 2003, and again recently in 2017, have had a personal impact on friends, family, colleagues and myself. Last summer, I witnessed firsthand how quickly people’s lives can be thrown into turmoil and the hardship that can result.
My companies first priority is to be proactive and reduce the likelihood that Hinton residents will have to endure our BC experience and those experienced in the past by other parts of Alberta.
Plainsman purchased a substantial property interest in Hinton over six years ago, and we have plans to build a very desirable and environmentally sensitive development that will be highly sought after in the community for years to come. It is our sincere desire to be responsible, good neighbours and ultimately create the most livable neighborhood in Hinton.
Our first priority, is safety from and reducing potential liability of, a wild fire threat. The development and implementation of our plan is at the sole cost and expense of Plainsman. Developer’s who wish to take proactive steps to mitigate wild fire hazards on undeveloped lands in communities do not qualify for Provincial grants and initiatives.
Plainsman retained the services of Mr. Terry Dodge of Wolverine Integrated Resource Management Inc., a local Hinton consultant, to complete a study of the Thompson Lake area. The Thompson Lake Fire Hazard Mitigation Plan incorporates strategies and identifies risks in the Town of Hinton Wildfire Mitigation Strategy that was prepared by Stew Walkinshaw of Montane Forest Management, based out of Canmore, Alberta in 2010. The strategy identified lands owned by Plainsman surrounding the Thompson Lake Subdivision as extreme hazard and high priority for reduction of fuel build-up as seen in the figure below.
In addition to the extreme fuel build up situation, the Mitigation Strategy studied historical fire data surrounding the Town of Hinton and identified the Cache Percotte Road, immediately to the south of Thompson Lake, as having the highest incidence of human ignited fires in the study area.
The fuel reduction treatment prescribed by Mr. Dodge on the Plainsman properties involves a significantly higher level of tree removal then has been used on the Town of Hinton properties. The harvesting of mature trees within the property allows the significant project costs to be recovered, while reducing accumulated forest fuels and acknowledging the reality that over time these lands will eventually be developed into desirable housing, interspersed with significant greenspace areas.
Mature tree harvesting will occur with low impact harvester/forwarder equipment operated by personnel who are experienced in the practice of retaining groups of younger trees within the site. Most of the poplar and aspen trees on the properties will be retained, given the lower risk of ignition of these species. Established recreation trails on Plainsman property will be identified prior to the commencement of work to help machine operators keep the trails intact. Harvested trees will be “stump-side” processed, leaving branches and tops on log forwarding trails to be disposed of with mulching equipment rather than traditional slash pile burning.
The figure below shows the work plan, including treatment areas, recreational trails and temporary equipment/log roads being built to the west of the property and out to the Robb Road.
The plan has considered resident concerns and seeks to reduce negative impacts to adjacent neighbours during implementation of the plan. The harvesting and logging of the 240 acres is expected to start in January, 2018 and be complete by April, 2018. The plan seeks to minimize noise, restrict harvesting and logging operating hours along with establishing temporary logging routes within the area including the development of a single point of entry on Robb Road (across from Hinton’s cemetery) for equipment and logging access. The temporary logging routes will be graded and rehabilitated to a naturalized state. There will be no need for equipment or log trucks to travel through the existing Thompson Lake Subdivision roads.
While Plainsman has always permitted and encouraged public recreational use of the trails within our property, this use during harvesting and mulching activities planned from January to April, 2018 would create an unacceptable safety hazard. We would request that residents respect the closure of these trails during this period. Trail access points will be closed off with red “DANGER” ribbon.
We wish to thank the residents of Thompson Lake for cooperation and understanding while we work to keep you safe! The Town of Hinton and West Fraser have been instrumental and supportive as Plainsman has worked towards full implementation of the plan and thank them for their support!