Post-Fire Site Rehabilitation Special Investigation: Interim Report

Forest fires generated a high degree of public interest during the summer of 2003. Although many people are aware of government’s role in fighting forest fires, they may not know that after fires are out, significant work may be required to rehabilitate sites impacted by fire suppression activities.

The Forest Fire Prevention and Suppression Regulation (FFPSR) deals with site rehabilitation. It requires a person who carries out fire control or fire suppression operations to stabilize all fire access trails, fire guards and other fire suppression works to ensure that natural drainage patterns are maintained and surface soil erosion is minimized. If heavy equipment was used to construct fire access trails, fire guards, fire camps, staging areas or heliports, a site rehabilitation plan must be submitted to a designated forest official for approval soon after the fire is suppressed.