Hoping for the best, preparing anyways!

While we are all out enjoying the hot weather and swimming and whatever it is we love to do in BC at this time of year, we have dedicated professionals in this province preparing to look after us.

A reminder to everyone that the first thing you need to do if you spot a fire is call 1-800-663-5555.

How to Report a Wildfire

If you see a wildfire, please report it to us at 1-800-663-5555 or call *5555 toll free on most cellular networks.

Alternately, you can report a wildfire to 9-1-1.

What You'll Be Asked

When reporting a wildfire, a B.C. Forest Service operator will ask you:

• your phone number
• the location of the fire
• what the fire is burning (trees? What species?)
• the size of the fire
• how quickly the fire is spreading
• the colour of the smoke
• whether there are values or lives at risk

The details that you provide are critical in determining the type of response that the fire will receive from fire suppression authorities. Your help is greatly appreciated as it helps us to allocate our resources more efficiently and respond quickly to wildfire activity

There is currently no campfire ban however there is an open burning ban.

If you have looked at the weather forecast it calls for 10 days  going forward with record temperatures predicted with low overnight recoveries.   Adding to this concern  is the high probability of experiencing a daily pattern of increased dry lightning and winds beginning around Sunday night forward. Finally, it’s important to remind ourselves that it is only July 11^th, very early in the season and this coupled with a well forecasted El Nino influence that is expected to strengthen through the summer into fall could indicate a very long season. In short we all need to be aware and concerned. 

Today I heard from Interwest Timber who is moving to an early schedule & will be out of the bush by 1 pm.

Ryan Wainwright, our SLRD Emergency Program Manager is hoping the SLRD roof sprinkler program will be online next week.  I will let you know more about that as soon as its ready to go. Ryan has also been assessing staffing readiness.  Its good to know he's on it and thinking ahead...

The Wildfire Management Branch has stationed an Initial Attack Crew in Area A and has regular fire warden patrols.  I met Don on the Hurley early Wednesday!!!  

Hope everyone enjoys this wonderful weather, stays safe and careful!