Burns Bog

Burns Bog is the largest domed peat bog on the west coast of North America. It covers an area of about 40 square kilometers and occupies a quarter of Delta, British Columbia, about 25 km southeast of downtown Vancouver. It is named after the former owner, Patrick Burns of Burns Meat Packaging.

This unique ecosystem sustains a wide variety of flora and fauna, including 24 species of mammal and 150 bird species. Numerous zoning codes have been enacted to protect the bog from development and retain its original state in hopes of preservation for future generations. The bog is thought to be a major regulator of the region's climate, since there is no drainage and all the rain fall is ultimately evaporated. Highway 91 and flood control measures for nearby farms have cut off periodic flooding and drainage that previously fed into the bog.

The southern part of the bog contains a landfill for the city of Vancouver.

History

Burns Bog has traditionally been an important place for First Nations people in the area. They practiced controlled burning of patches, which promoted the growth of a variety of berries including Vaccinium (bog blueberries) and salal berries. Berries provided an important supplement to their diet. Various plants such as Labrador tea were used by First Nations people for medicinal uses.

Peat was mined from the area in the 1940s, leaving large holes and drainage ditches in the middle of the bog. During the second World War, the U.S. military sought to use the peat to refine magnesium for artillery shells.

Large scale peat harvesting stopped in the 1980's but resource extraction remained to be the official land use zoning of the majority of the bog until 2004. A small peat harvesting operation continues to operate on the south side of the bog. Before the establishment of the Burns Bog Ecological Reserve in 2004, only 60 acres (0.24 km²) of the bog were protected as the Delta Nature Reserve. Another 2300 acres (9.3 km²) of the bog were owned by Western Delta Lands Inc., which in the past had tried to develop the area but have been denied permission from the local and provincial authorities. The Burns Bog Preservation Society lobbied the province to buy the bog from the company, but in 1996 a $27.5 million offer was turned down by the Western Delta Lands owners, the McLaughlin family in Ontario, who also own Grouse Mountain ski area.

In March 2004, 2,042 ha (5,045 acres) of Burns Bog was purchased to be protected as the Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area. The four purchasing partners are the Province of British Columbia, the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the Corporation of Delta, and Canada. A legally binding conservation covenant placed on the property will ensure Burns Bog is protected and managed effectively as a natural ecosystem. On behalf of all partners, the Greater Vancouver Regional District will act as the lead managing agency.

Notable fires

The bog has been the site of many serious fires, which can burn underground for months in the methane-rich peat. Major blazes occurred in 1977, 1990 (twice), 1994, 1996 and 2005. The 1996 fire covered Greater Vancouver in smoke and ash for two days, destroyed 1.7 km² and cost more than $200,000 to extinguish.

On September 11, 2005, a fire broke out near the south eastern edge of the bog with its smoke and ash being blown many kilometers, permeating the entire Lower Mainland and reaching all the way to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.

By the morning of September 14, the fire had expanded to 2 km².

Numerous large-scale fire-fighting techniques were employed to combat the huge blaze. Firebreaks were bulldozed and dikes were used to raise the water level in the hopes of extinguishing any of the fires that can burn underground for prolonged periods. The British Columbia fire service's Air Tanker Centre dispatched a fleet of air tankers to help extinguish the blaze, including four Firecats, two Convair 580s and the Martin Mars water bombers, the world's two largest air tankers.

On September 19, the municipality of Delta announced that the fire was in the "mop-up stage". About 30 firefighters remained on the scene and were expected to begin withdrawal on Wednesday, September 21, with ongoing monitoring beyond that time (see [http://www.corp.delta.bc.ca/EN/main/municipal/6231/archives/18512.html here] ).

A large fire started on May 29, 2007.

Controversy

There have recently been several attempts at adding a truck route around and/or through Burns Bog. It hasn't been met well, as the general thought is that altering the bog will negatively affect the area.

There have been no studies to confirm or deny this possibility.

The agencies responsible for the plan appear to have taken great pains to ensure the bog's safety, however, there are considerable traffic problems in the Delta area, and the new road is expected to alleviate those concerns.

ee also

*Irish Peatland Conservation Council

References

* [http://www.discovervancouver.com/GVB/burns-bog.asp Discover Vancouver]
* [http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/planning/mgmtplns/burns_bog/burns_bog.html BC Parks]

External links

* [http://www.abcd.ca/bclife/otherImages/burnsBogFire/burnsBogFire05.jpgPicture of Fire from Highway 91, Sep 11, 2005]
* [http://www.burnsbog.org/ Burns Bog Conservation Society]
* [http://www.blevinsphoto.com/burnsbog.htm Photographs from Burns Bog]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Vancouver&ll=49.121972,-122.975464&spn=0.067451,0.272993&t=k&hl=en Satellite image] (Google Maps)
* [http://www.johomaps.com/na/canada/bc/vancouver/burnsbog/guide/main.html Joho Guide to Burns Bog]