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Okanagan-area mayor seeks ban on cedar hedges, citing significant risk of fire
Cedars are like having a gun pointed at houses when wildfires are near, he says
September 18, 2023 By Turf & Rec
In the wake of wildfires and recent drought in British Columbia, the mayor of Lake Country in the Okanagan hopes council will see fit to ban new plantings of cedar hedges.
They can easily catch fire, says Mayor Blair Ireland and require ample water. His sentiments are shared by an assistant professor of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences at UBCO. He says flying embers can get caught in cedar hedges and ignite dry needles.
Ireland told local media that having cedar hedges is like having a gun pointed at a house in areas of wildfires. He added that with water levels below normal, cedars make no sense.
Many homeowners opt for cedar hedges as a natural alternative to fencing for their yards.
The Okanagan region of British Columbia is currently at drought level 5 which is its worst in years.
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