April 2, 2015
The City of Toronto's Parks, Forestry and Recreation division has contracted a professional Fire Boss to perform prescribed (controlled) burns in High Park and South Humber Park in mid to late April as part of a long-term management plan to protect and sustain Toronto’s rare black oak woodlands and savannahs. The date for the burns will be planned to coincide with ideal weather conditions and will be announced 24 to 48 hours prior to the burns.
Notices will be placed at park entrances to notify users when the burns will take place. People will be restricted from entering areas that are being burned and park users can expect some temporary road closures in High Park and restricted access along some of the dog off-leash trails on the day of the burn.
A prescribed burn is a deliberately set and carefully controlled fire that burns low to the ground and consumes dried leaves, small twigs and grass stems, but does not harm larger trees. Prescribed burns have been safely executed in Toronto parks in the past, and are part of the City's long-term management plan to protect and sustain Toronto’s rare black oak woodlands and savannahs in High Park, Lambton Park and South Humber Park. These rare vegetation communities are at risk of extinction, not only in Toronto but throughout North America.
Under ideal weather conditions, the smoke from the prescribed burns will lift and not affect surrounding neighbourhoods. It is possible, however, that some smoke will reach residential areas near the parks. People with asthma or high sensitivity to poison ivy may want to limit their exposure by staying inside and keeping windows closed, or by leaving the area during the burns.
A High Complexity Fire Boss with extensive prescribed burning experience created the 2015 burn plans and will be implementing them with assistance from Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff. Toronto Fire Services and police will be notified and assist if required.
In the months following the burns, City staff, scientists, naturalists and volunteers from the community will monitor and analyze the beneficial effects of the burn and implement additional forest management techniques as required. Those techniques can include measures such as invasive species control, planting of native trees, shrubs and grasses, and ongoing site maintenance.
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Media contact: Beth McEwen, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, 416-397-4006, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
