Residents and motorists in the Lytton area can expect to see smoke in the coming weeks as the BC Wildfire Service supports two controlled pile burning projects aimed at reducing wildfire risk.

The burns are part of an ongoing effort to manage forest fuels and clear debris left by previous wildfires. Carried out in collaboration with the Nicomen Indian Band and the Cascades Natural Resource District, the projects will involve the burning of approximately 70 piles of wood debris.

The first project, located 10 kilometres up Nicomen River Road and roughly 20 kilometres north of Lytton, is part of a multi-year initiative that began in 2022. Around 50 piles will be burned in partnership with the Nicomen Indian Band.

The second project will take place approximately five kilometres north of Lytton and will see about 20 piles burned with support from the Cascades Natural Resource District.

Smoke from the burns may be visible from the Village of Lytton, the Nicomen Indian Band, nearby communities, and to drivers on Highway 1. While the exact timing of the burns will depend on weather and site conditions, operations could begin as early as Monday, October 20, 2025, and continue through to Monday, November 24, 2025.

The BC Wildfire Service emphasizes that burns will only proceed when conditions are safe and suitable for smoke dispersal. However, some smoke may linger in the area in the days following the burn.

These efforts are part of broader wildfire risk reduction strategies being implemented across the province in response to increasingly severe fire seasons.