Jemi Fibre Corp. is logging in the area and the Fernie Trails Alliance (FTA) urges hikers and bikers to stay off a few of the trails as there will be a lot of truck traffic over the next month and a half.
Pat Gilmar, one of the directors at FTA, said he and FTA manager Julie Kelly were contacted last week by a representative from Jemi Fibre, and went out with the forester to walk the trail and review the plans on where the logging will take place.
There will be three areas logged over the next six weeks, with work now underway at a location just north of Big Money.
“It doesn’t affect Big Money, but the logging trucks spill down onto the road by Big Money,” Gilmar said.
The second area, that will be affected in two weeks from now, is the north end of Kush, which Gilmar said is referred to as “Kushier” and “Kushiest” and said the work being done will also affect parts of TR3 trail and Little Chain Ring trail.
Starting next week, the FTA will be closing the trails, Gilmar said.
“Also, progressing along there above the road is Kush, and it will be logged all the way back to the junction with R Trail and Kids Stuff,” he said. “So basically, over the next six weeks they’ll be hauling logs along Ridgemont Road from Kush area and along the Riffle Road, drop down the Coal Creek Road and out along River Road Extension towards Morrissey.”
Gilmar warns those who use the trail to stay off the mentioned trails for the next while.
Andy McCuaig, Jemi Fibre’s woodlands manager, confirmed work was being done in the area and said the mayor and council as well as FTA were made aware of that fact.
Fernie Mayor Mary Giuliano said representatives from Jemi Fibre will be speaking with council next week.
McCuaig said Jemi Fibre will be putting notification in the paper to alert the general public in the next couple of weeks, explaining the work that's being done.