Predator Ridge Community Safety
Raising Our Community Awareness through Prevention/Mitigation and Preparedness
With the hot and dry summer season approaching fast, residents of the Osprey Green Townhomes, organized their residents to cleanup a section of the common lands on their strata development.
It was a great turnout, and a significant section of the property was cleared of ground fuel. Additionally, some tree laddering was also completed.
Thanks to the efforts of a hearty group of community volunteers, another section of the Commonage forest, above Upper Diamond Way and adjacent to the District Development underwent a massive FireSmart Cleanup. Trees were laddered up approximately 2 meters off the ground and forest ground fuels were collected. Volunteers managed to fill to the brim, two 20-cu.yd. refuse bins with combustible debris from the forest floor.
Howie Anderson
Lorena Clowes
Rick Ellis
Nick Leighton
John Lemieux
Roxy McCrone
Robert Scott
Vince Timm
Claudio Verconich
Gord Ball
Stewart Clowes
Lorin Ellis
Kirsten Leighton
Nathalie Lindal
Linda Padgett
Greg Smith
Jane Toppozini
Emily Volans
Lynn Brown
Eamonn Deegan
Frank Jorgensen
Elizabeth Lemieux
Laura Mackenzie
Jim Pitura
Mandy Sutherland
Breanne Tripp
Brenda Watson
We would also like to thank Wes Brassard, the City of Vernon’s FireSmart Coordinator, and his assistant, Andrew, for attending the event. They provided excellent information about the FireSmart program and conducted homeowner FireSmart assessments in the Falcon Point neighbourhoods, afterwards.
Another big shout out goes to Breanne Tripp for organizing the Predator kitchen staff to cook our hot dogs and hamburgers following the mishap with the BBQ equipment. That worked out just great and we all enjoyed a good lunch despite that!
Also, we would like to recognize Golf Operations Manager, Damian Sayers for securing a tent for us to use. Even though (thankfully) we didn’t need to use it, we appreciated the effort from him on that front.
On the horizon, your FireSmart team is in the planning stages for a fall cleanup event, likely in October, once the golf course is closed for the season. Stay tuned for more information on that.
Thank you again to everyone that turned out to help on this one. By taking these proactive measures to reduce the risk of wildfire, we can protect our homes and community and increase our resilience to wildfire.
We understand it’s a long weekend but If you’re not already committed, we would really use your help. (Every weekend is a long weekend at Predator!!)
The more hands we have the faster the clean up…..what ever time you can spare 1 hr or the full morning. Every little bit helps…..
If you can make it, PLEASE register at the link below
EVENT DETAILS
DATE: Saturday, May 18, 2024
TIME: 9:00am – 12:00pm
LOCATION: Meet beside the entrance to the District on Diamond Way
A safety orientation will be held at the dog park entrance at 8:30am prior to the clean-up event getting underway.
For safety reasons and logistics it is imperative that all volunteer register for this FireSmart event .
You can sign up by clicking this link.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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 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.
