In May 2018, Haldimand County Council awarded an $11,550 community partnership grant to the Dunnville Horticultural Society (DHS) to bring the Thompson Creek Parkland Restoration Project to fruition. Part of this Haldimand County-DHS-Ducks Unlimited Canada partnership project requires that a controlled burn be conducted on the parkland adjacent to Robinson Road. The burn will take place in April 2019 (weather dependent).

The Thompson Creek Parkland Restoration Project aims to rehabilitate the wetlands and grassland, create naturalized walkable pathways and establish a Carolinian Arboretum Education Centre/outdoor classroom. The purpose of the controlled burn is to clear the grassland site of accumulated debris, halt the growth of invading shrubs and rejuvenate the native tallgrass ecosystem.

Controlled burns are deliberately set, carefully planned and controlled fires that consume ground level fuels like dried leaves, cured grass, needles and fallen/downed woody debris. The practice is a widely-used and recognized scientific method of controlling non-fire tolerant invasive species, allowing for growth and regeneration of naturally-occurring historical grasslands and fire-tolerant tree species.

The controlled burn has been carefully planned in consultation with Haldimand County Emergency Services, with public safety at the forefront. Lands & Forests Consulting has been contracted to oversee the burn with a team of highly-trained, experienced and nationally-certified wildland firefighters. Haldimand County Emergency Services will be on site for the duration of the burn, with Dunnville Station 9 on standby with equipment to assist if firefighting efforts are required.

The exact date of the controlled burn has not been confirmed, as weather and wind conditions will dictate the best time. Haldimand County will post updates regarding the timing of the burn via HaldimandCounty.ca and its social media channels.

Every effort will be made to make sure impacts from the controlled burn are minimized, however, if conditions change during the burn, neighbouring residences, schools and businesses may be affected. To prevent exterior smoke from entering your home, or in the event of exterior smoke entering your home or facility, please:

• Refrain from outside activities like yard work and do not let your children play outside;
• Check the Air Quality Index for your area (available on all weather-related websites, such as
  Environment Canada). If there is a high risk in your area, it is best to stay indoors;
• Make sure you stay inside if local authorities advise those in your area to do so;
• Close your windows and fireplace dampers to keep out the smoke; and,
• Turn off air conditioners and HVAC systems.

More information about the Thompson Creek Parkland Restoration Project will be released once preliminary work on the site has been completed. Residents with questions or concerns about the controlled burn are encouraged to consult the Q&A document. All updates regarding the burn will be posted on the Haldimand County website and social media channels.