The technology a Nova Scotia company is using to reduce the risk of forest fires

BioBurn Pros Inc. uses an air curtain burner to incinerate large amounts of debris in a short period of time.

A Nova Scotia company is illustrating how its technology can help reduce the risk of forest fires.

On Friday, BioBurn Pros Inc. demonstrated its mobile system in Hammonds Plains, N.S.

“One of the biggest problems for communities with wildfire prevention and hurricane cleanups is the massive amounts of storm debris that’s involved, so the benefit here is we can rapidly deploy mobile equipment to the site, reduce processes, and do it in an environmentally friendly way for the community,” said president Joe Lewis.

“All that’s left at the end of the burn phase is a fertilizer that we can then use in the ground. Traditional methods, we would leave this debris on the ground where it’s left to rot and remain as a wildfire risk, so we’re actually helping prevent future fires.”

The company burns wood and debris left after a storm and turns it into valuable biochar – a type of charcoal produced from organic materials like agricultural waste and biomass. It offers numerous benefits for both the environment and agriculture, according to BioBurn.

The company uses an air curtain burner to incinerate large amounts of debris in a short period of time.

“What it does is it provides smoke free, carbon neutral waste processing of brush and tree waste from storms and significant weather events,” said Lewis.

He said the technology has been around for about 30 years but it is new to Nova Scotia in the last couple of years.

“By doing what we do, we can eliminate a lot of the canopy fuel so the fire, should it start, won’t be able to climb up the trees and expand throughout the community quickly,” said Lewis.

“We are eliminating a lot of the fast growth opportunities for these wildfires.”

The company, which is based out of Halifax, has also expanded into Alberta and British Columbia.

“We’ve had tremendous feedback from the Department of Natural Resources, local fire departments and the fire marshals, as well as the municipal and provincial wildfire mitigation teams because they’re seeing a technology that’s here to help. It’s safe, it’s contained and it’s controlled,” said Lewis.

During Friday’s demonstration, Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources was on hand to see how it all works.

“This is a good opportunity. The department is always interested in assessing opportunities to use the low-grade fiber whether it be for economic development or fire mitigation projects, so we certainly appreciate the opportunity to come out and have a look,” said DNR forest protection manager Scott Tingley.

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