During National Forest Week (September 18-24), Canadians are invited to learn more about Canada’s forest heritage and about the importance of forests as a valuable and renewable resource and children are no exception.

In the Williams Lake area, children will have the opportunity  to help celebrate National Forest Week  when the Cariboo Fire Centre hosts a two-day outdoor education-focused event on Sept. 20 and Sept. 21.

Fire information officer Natasha Broznitsky said the event is targeted to Grades 1 through 6.

“We expect to host about 800 children from local schools over the two-day period,” she said.

“They will learn about topics including but not limited to: forest health, First Nation groups and forests, forest wildlife and the role of aviation in forestry and fire suppression (we will have a stationary helicopter and pilot on site).”

A wide range of learning opportunities will be provided, thanks to the fact that many different groups and organizations have come together and will be running booths and displays.

Some of those organizations are within the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations, Scout Island Nature Sanctuary, and West Fraser Timber, to name just a few, Broznitsky said.

Additional children ages 12 and under, if they are not at school for some reason, are welcome too, as well as parents and guardians of children 12 and under.

The event will run between the hours of 9  a.m. and 3 p.m. both days, and people are advised to dress prepared for the weather.

Road signs to the event will be posted on the Airport Road north of Williams Lake.

Anyone with questions is encouraged to call the  fire centre at 250-989-2600.