Climate Resiliency Plan Phase 1 Harvesting & Fuel Management Sites

The Cheakamus Community Forest is developing its first harvesting and fuel management plans (FMPs) based on the Climate Risk Assessment (CRA). The CRA modelling identified the main wildfire pathways into the Whistler valley and the CCF prepared plans to modify the second growth forests along the pathways in order to make them more diverse in age, structure and species. This will decrease wildfire behaviour by creating more diversity in the forest which will make it more resilient to climate change.

The Climate Resiliency Plan (CRP) Phase 1 plans are currently being reviewed by the Squamish Nation and Lil’wat Nation through their referral systems. Preliminary Field Reconnaissance (PFR) assessments will be conducted soon to determine if there are any First Nations’ archaeological sites present. Once that is complete, the plans will be posted on the Provincial Forest Operations Map for a 30 day public review.

Click on the map link: CRP Phase 1

To orient yourself, Highway 99 runs more or less diagonally across the map from the bottom left to the upper right. You’ll see Alta, Nita and Alpha Lake on the right. The main area of activity will be in the middle of the map up the Callaghan Creek FSR – the gravel road that runs up Callaghan Creek opposite the paved road up the Callaghan valley – and above Highway 99 toward Function Junction.

The orange blocks to the east of the Callaghan Creek FSR labelled P08, P09, P12 and P15 are proposed retention harvesting blocks for fall 2026 if permits can be secured in time. There is enough merchantable wood in those blocks for the CCF to harvest them. The purple blocks labelled FMP 7, 8 and 10 (Fuel Management Plan) are sites that are high priority for wildfire fuel thinning to reduce the fuel loading and potential fire behaviour. They are younger second growth that total approximately 45 hectares and will be thinned to about 700-900 stems per hectare (sph), pruned up 3m minimum, and the fine fuels removed/redistributed. The thinning and pruning also improves the tree health and growth in the stand by allowing more light and water to reach the trees and forest floor. Those sites need external funding to do that work so the timeline is uncertain.