US EditionBusters Battle Back as Scotch Broom Grows Vancouver Island's Wildfire Risk
COWICHAN VALLEY, BRITISH COLUMBIA, JUL 24 – Volunteer groups and Indigenous knowledge help reduce wildfire risk by controlling Scotch broom, a highly flammable invasive shrub that can persist in soil for 30 years, experts say.
- Invasive Scotch broom on Vancouver Island fuels wildfire risk due to its high oil content and flammability, posing increasing danger to dry ecosystems.
- This risk has grown following colonial suppression of Indigenous-led controlled burning and fire management policies starting with the 1874 Bush Fire Act.
- The volunteer group Broombusters, established in 2006 by Joanne Sales and active throughout Vancouver Island including the Comox Valley, focuses on controlling Scotch broom to reduce fire risks and protect local ecosystems.
- Hunter Jarratt explained that when Scotch broom is present beneath powerlines, a wildfire reaching that area can spread quickly due to the plant’s abundant seed pods.
- Efforts to restore traditional burning and manage invasives aim to build forest resilience and prevent wildfires similar to the 2023 Lahaina disaster that killed 102 people.
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The Hamilton Spectator+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
Scotch broom increases wildfire risk. What can we do about it?
·Hamilton, Canada
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