Prescribed burn takes place at Wascana Park to remove fuel from possible wildfires

Smoke over Wascana Centre Tuesday came from a planned prescribed burn south of Wascana Hill to reduce fuel.

A small section of Wascana Park, south of Wascana Hill, was the site of a prescribed burn Tuesday afternoon.

The controlled burn helps remove fuel that could feed future wildfires and reduces invasive grass species. While relatively new in the City of Regina, prescribed burns have been used in other major cities for decades.

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Fire also plays a key role in renewing plant life, and Tuesday’s conditions— including light winds—were ideal.

Safety remains a top priority, with natural barriers like creeks, lakes, and roads used to contain the fire. Indigenous communities have used controlled burns for thousands of years to manage the land.

“They wanted to see bison come to a certain area, so they burned it. The grass that grew back was more nutritious, and the bison would return. The same idea applies to berry patches, which grow back more abundant,” said grassland ecologist Dale Gross.

Volunteer firefighters from rural departments also attend these burns to gain experience in managing wildfires.