Predator Ridge Community Safety
Raising Our Community Awareness through Prevention/Mitigation and Preparedness
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
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.”
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.
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.
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/
If you have any questions please contact us.
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.
We did it – cut, raked, collected, filled the large bin, built muscles and friendship.
Eva & Larry Poxon
With help and mentorship of Predator Ridge Landscape Manager, Breanne Tripp, neighbours Toby Frisk, Deb Hobbs, Bob Wade, Neil Bowler, Eva Poxon and Larry Poxon went to work to make their properties more FireSmart.
It is amazing how much work can be achieved with a great team of motivated adults! 4-days of pleasure went by sooo quickly.
Working over a period of 4-days from Thursday to Sunday, the neighbours invested a total of 50 hours on lots 7 thru 12 to make their properties & community more resistant to wildfire.
A big shoutout to Breanne Tripp for all her guidance and help in providing a very large bin that was completely filled. Breanne is also a member of the PRCEMC FireSmart Committee.
As the hot and dry weather continues across BC, it’s important to keep wildfire prevention and mitigation top of mind. Check out Ember’s Den for helpful resources and tips for the whole family to get FireSmart!
To many, Embers from a fire may seem small and inconsequential. But these tiny flittering offshoots can travel a great distance and cause real world devastation.
For even more information, listen to the Get FireSmart™ Podcast where we interview experts from the world of wildfire. The Get FireSmart™ Podcast is available on both Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Some interesting topics and information came out of this months NEST meeting attended by Jm Popowich. These meetings are attended by surrounding neighbourhood communities and the City of Vernon to collaborate on emergency management and preparedness initiatives.
Here is some great information and links coming out of this most recent NEST meeting:
On February 23rd and 25th, the PRCEMC team hosted a webinar on Community Safety at Predator Ridge. If you were unable to attend any of those webinar sessions, we have posted a recording of the Feb 25th session on our YouTube channel.
Give the video a view and stay up to date on community safety and other initiatives happening in and around the Predator Ridge Community.
Community Safety
is our number one priority
Dear Neighbour,
Looking in the rear-view mirror, 2020 will be a year forever rooted in all our memories. It was a year that fundamentally challenged how we think about our health, our safety and our future.
We have endured an unbelievable year of challenges, but we have also witnessed a time of positive opportunities and change. The pandemic has shown us that working together, we can achieve great things. Our community, our country and the world have all come together to find ways to fight back against COVID-19.
We are especially proud of how our own community has come together to help support and protect one another. Here at Predator Ridge, we are fortunate to have an amazing group of volunteers that participate in the FireSmart and Block Watch programs and the Commonage Road Improvement Committee (CRIC) that continues to pursue major improvements to Commonage Road. This year, in the spirit of the holidays, we also saw both the community and Predator Ridge come together to participate in one of the best displays of Christmas lights ever.
We are also grateful to Predator Ridge, for their swift action in adapting new policies, procedures and thorough communications over this past year. They went above and beyond, creating new activities to help keep us safe, healthy and connected. From online music nights, virtual wine tastings, fitness classes and cooking classes, ploughed trails, a skating rink, golf simulators and the amazing holiday fireworks, we can’t say thank you enough!
With the winter season now upon us, many of us turn our thoughts to the beauty and fun of skating on natural ice on local ponds and lakes. Many factors can affect ice thickness including: type of water, location and the time of year. Why not take a moment to refresh your knowledge of ice safety by visiting this Red Cross website for some excellent information before you venture out on the ice.
This year with so many of us out walking on the roadways with family, friends and our pets it is important to be safe and visible. Please keep in mind that we are not always visible to oncoming traffic especially at dawn, dusk and at night. Wearing some form of reflective clothing or headlamps is one way to stay VISABLE. With the fluctuating temperatures, the road and pathways can be very icy and slippery. Wearing cleats is an excellent way to prevent an unexpected and possibly dangerous fall.
This year there have been several coyote sightings in and around our neighbourhoods. We remind our residents that we live in nature’s back yard. Contact with wildlife can occur and we need to be aware of how to respond. For more information on keeping wildlife wild and communities safe, visit the Wild Safe BC site of the BC Conservation Foundation.
During the next few months, it is important for us to think about being prepared for emergencies such as snow and or ice storms that could result in either road closures or power outages. We need to be prepared to be isolated for a period of 48 to 72 hours. Click the following link to preparedness at the Prepared BC website.
Our neighbourhoods have been made safer with the help of community Volunteer Block Watch Captains. We are one of the most organized Block Watch areas in the interior and have received many accolades for it. Visit our Community Safety website to discover more about what Block Watch is doing in our community: Block Watch.
We will continue to monitor the winter road maintenance and the challenges we have experienced with ACCIONA Infrastructure and Maintenance (AIM). In late December we received a response to the Letter of Concern CRIC sent to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructures Deputy Minister. + View the letter from MoTI Deputy Minister.
Citizen involvement is the cornerstone of the FireSmart Canada Neighbourhood Recognition Program and here at Predator Ridge, we have no lack of involvement from our residents. Our community has been on the forefront of earning recognition as a FireSmart Neighbourhood and 2020 has been no exception. On October 17th, neighbours turned out in full force to clean-up a portion of the Birdie Lake Trail. In addition, throughout the entire year, many residents worked towards making our community that much more FireSmart by cleaning up their own private properties. To learn more about the FireSmart program here at Predator Ridge, visit the website at FireSmart.
We continue to work with the City of Vernon and provincial authorities to provide information that is essential to our community well being. To view this information please visit Community Safety at Predator Ridge.
We trust that in spite of the many challenges in 2020, we have much to be grateful for in our community. We wish our entire community the absolute best in 2021.
Sincerely,
Your Predator Ridge Community Emergency Management Committee (PRCEMC)
Jim Popowich
Colleen Scott
Jane Toppozini
Gord Wilson
Kathy Pedersen
Luiz Araujo
