Category: Fire Smart

Help keep B.C. Day long weekend safe for everyone

Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development BC Wildfire Service

NEWS RELEASE

Help keep B.C. Day long weekend safe for everyone

VICTORIA – The BC Wildfire Service urges British Columbians to be safe in the woods and reminds everyone that the return of warm weather means an increasing risk of wildfires.

Although the start of this year’s wildfire season was quieter than normal, August is typically the most active month of B.C.’s wildfire season. This is why it is important for British Columbians and visitors to remain vigilant and ensure that they are using fire safely.

Human-caused fires are completely preventable and unnecessarily divert crucial firefighting resources from naturally occurring wildfires. From April 1 through July 29, 2020, the BC Wildfire Service responded to 239 wildfires throughout the province, approximately 85% of which were attributed to human activity.

“We know people want to get out into the great outdoors, but it’s important that everyone stay vigilant about fire safety,” said Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. “Fighting wildfires can be challenging at the best of times, but managing them in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic requires BC Wildfire Service staff to operate with even greater care. I urge everyone to support our crews by using fire responsibly and making sure that their activities don’t spark a wildfire this holiday weekend.”

Campfires are currently allowed in all areas of the province that fall under the BC Wildfire Service’s jurisdiction. However, people are urged to use caution and keep an ample supply of water nearby to fully extinguish their campfires.

Larger Category 2 and Category 3 open fires are prohibited in some regions of the province. Up-to-date information about current open burning prohibitions is available on the BC Wildfire Service website at: www.gov.bc.ca/wildfirebans

Local governments and other jurisdictions (e.g., BC Parks) may have their own burning restrictions or bylaws in place. People should also check with those authorities before lighting any fire.

Campfire safety and fire precautions:

  • Campfires must not be larger than 0.5 metres high or 0.5 metres wide.
  • Never light a campfire or keep it burning in windy conditions. Weather can change quickly, and wind may carry embers to other combustible material.
  • Maintain a fireguard around the campfire. This is a fuel-free area where all flammable materials (grass, leaves, kindling, etc.) have been removed right down to the soil.
  • Never leave a campfire unattended.
  • Have a shovel or at least eight litres of water available to properly extinguish your campfire.
  • Make sure the ashes are cool to the touch before retiring for the night or leaving the area for any length of time.

Other precautions:

  • Anyone riding an all-terrain vehicle or dirt bike on Crown land must have a spark arrestor installed on the vehicle. To help reduce wildfire risks, check the condition of the muffler, regularly clear buildups of grass or other vegetation from hot spots, stay on dirt paths and avoid riding in tall grass and weeds.
  • Smokers must dispose of cigarette butts and other smoking materials responsibly and ensure those materials are completely extinguished.

The government’s conservation officers conduct regular patrols throughout British Columbia, while natural resource officers from the Compliance and Enforcement Branch work closely with BC Wildfire Service staff to investigate the cause of wildfires and any improper fire use when an open burning prohibition is in effect.

Anyone found in contravention of an open-burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone. For up-to-date information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, call 1 888 3-FOREST or visit: www.bcwildfire.ca

People can also follow the latest wildfire news:

Learn More:

Current open burning prohibitions: www.gov.bc.ca/wildfirebans

Wildfire prevention: www.gov.bc.ca/wildfireprevention

British Columbia FireSmart: https://firesmartbc.ca/

Contact:

Provincial Fire Information

BC Wildfire Service
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development

250 312-3051

Connect with the Province of B.C. at: http://news.gov.bc.ca/connect

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July Community Awareness Message

Dear Neighbours;

BC Phase 3 Restart
As BC begins to loosen the COVID 19 restrictions and thankfully moves us all into Phase 3, we still need to be vigilant about managing our personal bubbles and space.  Please review the link below outlining Phase 3 and the recommendations Dr. Bonnie Henry has laid out for us all.  PRCEMC would like to thank all our residents for their diligence and support in keeping our community safe and helping BC flatten the curve. 
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial-support/phase-3

Emergency Management
This year’s BC wildfires have thus far been reduced by the cooler weather, leaving our current fire rating as low.  However, that rating could change quickly once we move into warmer summer temperatures.  Due to our location we need to be mindful of the wildfire status in our area and surrounding areas. Take the time now to review the “Resident Emergency Handbook”, and make sure you have your plan and evacuation kit(s) updated and ready.
https://prcemc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/PRCEMC-Resident-Emergency-Handbook-Update-May-19.pdf

FireSmart
This cooler weather is also the perfect time to continue the good work that all of us have been doing to FireSmart our properties.  We have already had over 22 residents who have cleaned their own properties and/or replaced bark mulch with rocks – some spending 15-25 hours and others 30-40+ hours.  We are so lucky to have so many residents committed to the FireSmart Program and making our community safer.If you would like a member of the FireSmart Committee to visit your property or provide you with some feedback and tips on how to FireSmart your property please contact: https://prcemc.ca/contact-firesmart/
To report a wildfire or irresponsible wildfire risk behaviour call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 from a cell phone.

Block Watch is a program of neighbours helping neighbours. They make a commitment to watch out for each other’s homes, and report suspicious activities to the police and to each other. 

Block Watch
In the Predator Ridge Community, we have 20 Block Watch neighbourhoods each with its own co-captains. The co-captains (42 in all) fall under the direction of the Predator Ridge Block Watch Organization and  report to the City of Vernon Protective Services Division – Regan Borisenko. With the opening up of travel and the possibility of increased tourism within BC, we may start to see an increase in activity within our community.  Be diligent, be aware, and report anything suspicious.  The Non-Emergency Police line is: 250-545-7171. 
https://prcemc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Block-Watch-Map-sm-01.jpg

Commonage Road Improvement Committee (CRIC)
The Commonage Road Improvement Committee is continuing to work on the improvements to Commonage and Bailey Roads.  We are hoping to see the additional white lines painted on the road shoulders, as well as an increase in delineators installed on select corners this year.

Please note the speed limit on Commonage and Bailey Roads is 60km/h.  Friends and family cyclists are out enjoying the summer, please remember to share the road, slow down, and allow for everyone to have safe passage. 

Commonage Road-BCHydro Pole Replacement Project Update
This project is scheduled to replace 150 poles along this corridor and had expected to be completed by late summer; however, due to COVID-19 challenges, the project completion date has been rescheduled to early December 2020.

The BCHydro Community Relations Department has advised us that there will be no further blips or outages due to this project for the next month or so.  When the blips resume they will be 20 sec to 1 minute in duration, once in the morning and once in early evening.  We have asked for advanced notice as to when the cutovers and blips will resume.  BCHydro will be issuing a project update notice in the next few weeks.

If you think that your computer or any household appliances have been damaged due to the numerous power interruptions you can submit a claim to BCHydro. The email address for claims for damaged equipment due to outages: bchydro.claims@bchydro.com

BCHydro website for outage updates: www.bchydro.com      Outage Inquiries: 1888-769-3766

BEAR Wise
As we move into the summer months and are hiking and walking the trails, be aware that bears are now fully out of hibernation and foraging the area for food.  To avoid confrontations with bears or drawing them further into the community follow the bear wise information. Limit bird feeders, safely store garbage, and don’t leave pet food outside. Be aware of your surroundings, hike in groups, talk, make noise, and carry a safety whistle.   Please review this excellent educational post from the BC Conservation Foundation on Bears.
https://wildsafebc.com/black-bear/

A new brochure Who’s Who: Know your Bears is now available and highlights the differences and similarities between Black Bears and Grizzly Bears. Take the quiz and see if YOU know your bears!
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/plants-animals-and-ecosystems/conservation-officer-service/whoswhobears.pdf

Golf Cart Safety
For everyone’s safety we remind residents of Predator Ridge’s request that all golf cart drivers access and use the paths that are provided. Please try and avoid using the larger main roadways with heavier traffic such as Predator Ridge Drive, Birdie Lake Drive etc. Please be mindful of pedestrians, pets and cyclists, all of whom have the right of way. http://homeowners.predatorridge.com/golf-cart-usage-at-predator-ridge/

Using the connector paths within the community help reduce the use of the streets and roadways. 

  1. Connector down from Chicopee to Hockey Cabin
  2. Cabins at the end of Chicopee over to Hockey Cabin
  3. Longspoon over to Dormie
  4. Dormie down to Whitetail
  5. The Commonage to Predator Tunnel
  6. Whitetail over to Ridge Hole #4

Home Owner Intranet Site
Our Homeowner Intranet Site has undergone some major upgrades over the past few months.  The site has many new categories with useful information regarding our community and surrounding area and is especially useful for newcomers to Predator Ridge.  If you do not have an account or have lost your username and password please email: predatorridge@predatorridge.com

If you have suggestions or feedback for the continued success of the site please forward them to pridgecommunity@gmail.com

Sincerely
Your Predator Ridge Community Emergency Management Committee (PRCEMC)
Jim Popowich
Jane Toppozini
Colleen Scott
Gord Wilson
Kathy Pedersen
Luiz Araujo


FireSmart-101

More so than ever before Canadians are feeling the direct and indirect impacts of wildfire. There is a growing interest and need for FireSmart across the nation. We have put together a short course for those who are just getting started with FireSmart in their community and want to learn more.

Residents Keep Busy & FireSmart

Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to let you know that a lot of Falcon Point/Chicopee residents have been working hard in their own yards and by the hockey cabin with FireSmart Activities as we all try to fill in time every day until we can once again be together with family members and friends.

I am sending you a few pictures, if you have not had a chance to walk by the cottages and around the hockey cabin, to see how nice and clean it is there.

This phased project was driven by Gerry Fester (Chicopee resident and Strata President) and Jim was the FS Rep assisting to make sure it was done to FS Standards and with Breanne’s approval prior to each phase of the project.

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The total hours spent in 2020 on this project was 85 hours.  Gerry also used his own truck to haul the debris to the landfill with one or two loads after each clean-up during that one-month period. This project was started in December 2019 with about 10 volunteer hours.

2 homeowners from the same household on Chicopee Road cleaned up pinecones and raked the common property beside their home and spent approx. 15 hours on this project.

Jim and Laverne have also spent about 24 hours cleaning their properties.

Gord and Shelley on Vardon Lane also recently cleaned for about 27 hours on their two properties and paid for the bin rental to haul away the debris.

Jim has also seen another 3 families in his neighbourhood cleaning up their yards, so it certainly is a snowball effect.

If you or your neighbours are cleaning your own properties, please send me a picture, date of clean-up, names, address, phone number and hours spent so we can include them all with our application for 2020.

As we are not yet sure what the rest of 2020 will look like and when we can safely proceed with our Community FireSmart Event (area by Birdie Lake that Jim has scoped out for us) and spend the $500.00 FireSmart Canada Grant that Heather has secured for us this year, we can only encourage residents at this time to clean their own yards and include the hours spent by everyone in our 2020 application.

Stay safe everyone and hopefully we will be able to meet soon.

Kathy Pedersen

Download the full Report Here

FIRE SMART SPRING CLEAN UP 2020

We should all pay attention to the first 10 meters around our homes and in particular:

  • Raking and removing pine needles and dry leaves within a minimum of 1.5 metres of a home’s foundation. As time permits, continue up to a 10-metre distance around the home.
  • Dispose of collected debris in appropriate trash receptacles or you can deliver the debris for free to the Vernon landfill.

Making sure roof and gutters are clean.

Sweeping porches and decks to clear them of leaves and pine needles. Raking under decks, porches, sheds and play structures.

Removing items stored under decks and porches and relocating them to a storage shed, garage, or basement.

Gasoline cans and portable propane tanks should never be stored indoors and should be located away from the home.

The FireSmart Committee is here to assist you and if you have any questions for us, please email us at  predfiresmart@outlook.com

If you are not familiar with FireSmart, please watch this video for more information https://firesmartbc.ca/