Category: Fire Smart

FireSmart Community Cleanup Event – May 18, 2024

Dear Neighbours,

Are you looking to learn more about FireSmart and what you can do to protect your home and community?  

Join us at our upcoming clean-up event and learn what you can do to FireSmart your property.  You can also visit the PRCEMC website at: PRCEMC.ca/FireSmart for more information and FireSmart resources.

CLEAN-UP EVENT:  Commonage Neighbourhood

DATE:  SATURDAY, May 18, 2024

The FireSmart Committee is excited to announce that the Commonage neighbourhood will be the site of our next FireSmart clean-up event.  The area to be cleaned is the common property and park area directly below the Dog Park.

The committee is currently looking for volunteers to assist with the clean-up and welcome all helping hands. Our collective efforts will help make our community a safer place to live.

Water and snacks will be provided, as well as safety glasses, hi-vis vests and gloves, should you require them.  Volunteers should be prepared for sloping and uneven ground and appropriate footwear should be worn.

A safety orientation will be held at the dog park entrance at 8:30am prior to the clean-up event getting underway.  We hope to see you there for a fun morning of FireSmart!

The PRCS FireSmart Coordinator will be on hand to answer questions and will be providing a Hot Dog BBQ starting at 12:30 pm for all our hungry volunteers. 

EVENT DETAILS 

DATE:  Saturday, May 18, 2024

TIME:   9:00am – 1:00pm

LOCATION:  Meet beside the entrance to the District on Diamond Way

*** IMPORTANT: ADVANCED SIGN UP IS REQUIRED! *** 

Please sign up by clicking this link

If you have any questions, please email us at: firesmart@prcemc.ca 

Thank you in advance for donating your time and helping to make our community a better and safer place to live.

Sincerely,

Your Predator Ridge Community Safety (PRCS) Committee – FireSmart Team.

FireSmart Tip of the Month

Throughout wildfire season, if you are evacuated or planning to be away, remember to bring your door mats inside the house along with any other combustable items such as patio furniture, cushions, umbrellas etc.

The image above was taken after the homeowner returned home following the West Kelowna wildfire. This image shows how easily this home could have burned to the ground.

FireSmart Neighbourhood Cleanup a Huge Success! October 21, 2023

A great big THANK YOU goes out to a group of volunteers from across the Predator Ridge community for giving up their Saturday morning today to FireSmart the area along upper Diamond Way below the dog park.

A tremendous amount of ground fuel was cleaned up and removed into waste disposal bins that were provided by Predator Ridge Resort and the City of Vernon. The collective efforts of these wonderful volunteers will help make our community a safer place to live.

Thank you so much to our volunteers:

  • Wes Brassard (CoV)
  • Lynn & Howie Brown
  • Brad & Linda Campbell
  • Michael & Marina Crawford
  • Eamonn Deegan
  • Grant & Maurlice Hadland
  • Charl & Carol Johnson
  • Rick Johnston
  • Duane & Valorie Kozłowski
  • Nicholas & Kirsten Leighton
  • Elizabeth & John Lemieux
  • Tim Maunder
  • Roxy McCrone
  • Brian Morgans
  • Luiza Muller
  • Joe & Bernice Oviatt
  • Glen & Kelly Purgavie
  • Doris Ritter
  • Bev Rosenau
  • Barb Schmidke
  • Robert Scott
  • Greg Smith
  • Pat & Theresa Stobbs
  • Jane Toppozini
  • Breanne Tripp
  • Emily Volans
  • Gord Wilson

Following the cleanup, BBQ hamburgers and hot dogs were served up to all the hungry workers. Thanks very much to Wes Brassard, City of Vernon FireSmart Coordinator for hosting the BBQ and to Predator Ridge for delivering the BBQ & propane.

Stay tuned for future FireSmart cleanups coming in the Spring of 2024. Our community is working closely with our FireSmart Coordinator at the city of Vernon to keep the FireSmart program actively engaged at Predator Ridge.

Sincerely,

Your Predator Ridge Community Safety Committee (PRCS) FireSmart Team.

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Protect your Home from Wildfire

BC is currently in the midst of the worst wildfire season in history. The ongoing presence of wildfire throughout the province, as well as the growing threat throughout the Central Okanagan, reminds us that we need to act now to prevent devastating losses to our own community. There are many steps that you can take around your own homes to help protect them in the event of a wildfire. This includes removing any coniferous vegetation that is in close proximity to your home, keeping your roof and gutters clean, and bringing in all patio furniture and cushions in the event of an evacuation alert. 

Following evacuation orders and alerts and getting ready before a wildfire disaster strikes can make a world of a difference. While facing devastating losses in nearby communities it is important to remain proactive in our own. We have attached more resources that you may find helpful at this time. The best thing to do now is prepare. Prepare yourself and your family, your pets, and your property for the possibility of wildfire in our own community. Preparing a grab-and-go bag and knowing your evacuation routes are just a few ways to make sure you’re ready.

wildfire_preparedness_guideDownload
preparedbc_prepare_your_petsDownload
beginsathomeguideDownload

How BC Wildfire Service responds to wildfires: Structure protection

BC Wildfire Service firefighting crews are not trained or equipped to fight structural fires. However, we can deploy structure protection specialists whose function is to help protect homes and other types of buildings that may be threatened by wildfire.

Read more about this on the BC Wildfire Website

Lessons from the Lytton fire

Publishing Date

September 12, 2022
Source: Union of BC Municipalities – Latest News

Wildfire is “inevitable, appropriate and essential” stated Dr. Jack Cohen, retired Research Scientist from US Forest Service, at a UBCM Convention study session on lessons learned from the 2021 Lytton fire. Cohen asked delegates to consider how we can prepare now to ensure that future community wildfire disasters are reduced in scale and impact.

Through a series of compelling images and videos from recent wildfire disasters in North America, Dr. Cohen explained that wildfires may initiate community disasters, but that it is the local condition of homes and structures, specifically the susceptibility to embers, that determines whether the fire will move through the community. “Ignition resistance is a community responsibility” stated Cohen, and it creates the conditions for effective suppression.

This was the case in the wildfire that destroyed much of the Village of Lytton.  Dr. Cohen explained that within an hour, the surface fire had burned four separate paths through the village and overwhelmed response capacity.  By his calculation, upwards of 300 firefighters would have been needed within a few hours in order to handle the number of structure fires that had ignited.

To answer the question of how homes and structures actually ignite, Alan Westhaver, wildfire consultant and researcher, walked delegates through the concept of the Home Ignition Zone and the most common ignition vulnerabilities: structures, vegetation and other flammable materials. 

Finally, a panel of local government representatives and the provincial lead for FireSmartBC provided additional insight. Highlighting the importance of local education, policy and planning tools, and dedicated FireSmart staff, the panel reminded delegates to focus on actions in their own neighbourhoods and communities.

Pointing to the principles of FireSmart, Dr. Cohen chimed “do the little things that make a big difference.”

Vernon Fire Rescue readying itself for increased risk of wildfire conditions

Emergencies can happen anytime and Vernon Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) is taking steps to ready itself for the height of wildfire season and reminding citizens and visitors about the important things we can all do to keep each other safe.

Already this year, fire departments across the North Okanagan have responded to multiple grass and wildland fires and the fire danger rating has fluctuated between low and high at various times.

“The risk of wildfire can change quickly, particularly when we are experiencing heat like we’ve seen this week,” said Fire Chief David Lind. “We need to practice fire safety all the time, and when high heat and sunshine are drying out the region, we need to pay even closer attention to our activities.

“If people are spending time in the mountains, around lakes, in camping areas, or on trails, it’s paramount that everyone does their part to prevent human-caused wildfires to protect themselves, our communities, and our emergency responders.”

Throughout the summer season, VFRS will adjust its operations, as necessary, to have firefighters stationed at Fire Station 3 during higher risk periods.

“Residents in the Predator Ridge area may notice career and auxiliary firefighters working and training out of Station 3 at various times when the fire danger rating is listed as extreme, particularly during the hottest part of the day when fire behaviour can be more aggressive,” said Chief Lind.

The City of Vernon would like to thank the public for helping to prevent wildfires. To report an emergency or wildfire in the City of Vernon call 911. To report a wildfire, call the BC Wildfire Service at 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone.

For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions and more, visit www.bcwildfire.ca.

Longspoon Common Property gets FireSmart

A section of the common property that borders the Osprey Coach & Carriage duplex homes on Longspoon Drive was targeted for a FireSmart Cleanup on Saturday June 11th.

A group of over 30 volunteers attacked this very steep and hard to access property, laddering trees and cleaning up debris and dead wood. The debris was hauled to the bottom of the slope adjacent the golf course fairway at hole #7 of the Predator course.

As well, an old barbed wire fence was dismantled and the wire was rolled up and disposed of, making the are safer for wildlife and hikers.

A future FireSmart Event will be held in this area in the fall, once the golf season has ended when we will load the debris into disposal bins and remove to the Vernon Landfill.

Thanks to these dedicated FireSmart Volunteers for a job very well done!

FireSmart Community Event

Dear Neighbours,  

Are you looking to learn more about FireSmart and what you can do to protect your home?  

Join us at our upcoming clean-up event and learn what you can do to FireSmart your property.  You can also visit the PRCEMC website at: PRCEMC.ca/FireSmart for more information and FireSmart resources.  

CLEAN-UP EVENT:  LONGSPOON COMMON PROPERTY – JUNE 11, 2022 

The FireSmart Committee is excited to announce that a section of the Longspoon area will be hosting the next FireSmart clean-up event. The area to be cleaned up is a section of the common property that borders the Osprey Coach & Carriage duplex homes on Longspoon Drive.

The committee is currently looking for volunteers to help with the clean-up and welcome all helping hands.  Our collective efforts will help make our community a safer place. Water and snacks will be provided as well as safety glasses, hi-vis vests, and gloves if you require them. Volunteers should be prepared for sloping and uneven ground and appropriate footwear should be worn. We will only focus on the PINK area at this event.

A safety orientation will be held at the Fire Station at 8:30 am prior to the cleanup event getting underway. We hope to see you there for a fun morning of FireSmart.

EVENT DETAILS 
DATE:   Saturday, JUNE 11, 2022
TIME:   8:30am – 12:00pm
LOCATION:   Meet in front of the Fire Station on Predator Ridge Drive at 8:30 am.

*** IMPORTANT: ADVANCED SIGN UP REQUIRED ***
Please sign up by clicking the REGISTER NOW button below or visit:
https://predatorridge.wufoo.com/forms/firesmart-community-event/

REGISTER NOW

If you have any questions please email us at: questions@prcemc.ca 

Thank you in advance for donating your time and helping to make our community a better and safer place to live.

Sincerely,

Your Predator Ridge Community Emergency Management Committee (PRCEMC) FireSmart Team.