2012 ISSUE 4 JUNE 29, 2012

Prohibiting and restricting activities is a meas-

ure used to safeguard the public. According to the

Wildfire Act (Part 2, Section 12) the

(1) ’the minister by order may prohibit or re-

strict: a) the activities that may be carried

out, or b) use any equipment, materials or

substances that may be used in a specified

area and for a specified period, if the minister

considers that the activities or the use are

likely to cause or contribute to the spread of a

fire.

(2) a person must not a) carry out any activities,

or use any equipment, materials or sub-

stances in contravention of an order made

under subsection 1.

(3) An order under subsection (1) may be differ-

ent for different a) types, categories or sub-

categories of activities, equipment, materials

or substances, b) categories of persons,

places or things, or c) circumstances.

(4) For the period during which an activity con-

tinues as a restricted activity under this sec-

tion, the minister may exempt a person in

writing from an order made under subsection

(1) or from any fire control obligation for

that area.

Fireworks, Bearbangers and Flares—Oh My!

See detailed weather forecast

page 4

In this Issue:

The New FireSmart Recognition Program

Fireworks

At Coastal

Page 1

Fireworks, bearbangers and flares

are all flammable devices, but they are

treated differently under the Wildfire

Act. As you read the “Prohibited and

restricted activities” article below,

keep in mind how these devices should

be used.

Firework use is considered a recrea-

tional “activity”, while bearbangers

and flares are emergency devices and

should only be used as such.

Fireworks are often lit by juveniles without

adult supervision and they have caused numerous

fires over the years within the Coastal Fire Cen-

tre. In 2011, one of the slowest fire seasons on

record, there were 93 human-caused fires in the

Coastal Fire Centre. Two of them were directly

attributable to firework use and it’s suspected that

fireworks were involved in several other fires that

year.

Preventable fires are always a concern, par-

ticularly when there is a potential for someone to

be seriously injured. According to statistics from

Canadian hospitals:

children aged 10 to 14 were the people

most likely to be injured by fireworks

nearly 80 per cent of these injured peo-

ple were male

injuries peaked during key long week-

end holidays, such as Canada Day, Hal-

loween and Victoria Day

Fireworks that are lit under controlled circum-

stances by licensed professionals and within a

municipality’s borders may not be restricted if the

municipality has its own bylaws that

govern fireworks. Jurisdictions that do

not have fireworks bylaws in place may

apply for an exemption to allow for their

use. Municipal or local government

authorities can contact the local zone

office of the Coastal Fire Centre and

staff will answer their questions and

guide them through the application proc-

ess.

The use of tiki torches is also consid-

ered an “activity”, since the torches are not used

in emergencies and are lit solely for ambience.

Like fireworks, they can create a safety issue dur-

ing a hot, dry fire season because they burn fuel

on a top-heavy, unstable platform. However, tiki

torches are not currently restricted in the Coastal

Fire Centre.

Bearbangers

Flares

Fireworks are

currently prohibited

throughout the

Coastal Fire Centre

jurisdictional area.

Prohibited and Restricted Activities

FireSmart Canada would like to announce its

new FireSmart Canada Recognition Program. As

participants in program, you and your neighbours

will learn how to decrease the risk of losing your

homes and how to best protect yourselves in the

event of a wildfire.

How do you become a Recognized Commu-

nity? The steps are listed on the new FireSmart

website at: www.firesmartcanada.ca.

1) Contact FireSmart—complete an online re-

quest on the FireSmart website.

2) Site Visit—arrange for a local FireSmart Rep-

resentative to visit your area and assess the

proposed site. This visit is coordinated by

you and local fire officials.

3) Community Reps—Organize! Select a com-

mittee with homeowners, fire professionals,

planners, landmanagers, and others to de-

velop a plan. This could take several months.

4) Assessment and Evaluation—after complet-

ing a site assessment and evaluation the

FireSmart Representative and the committee

FireSmart Canada

Page 2

FireSmart Canada is a program of Partners in

Protection Canada, an organization dedicated to

educating people who live in the wildland-urban

interface and raising their awareness of potential fire

dangers.

People whose homes or recreational properties are

located in areas with lots of flammable, natural

vegetation nearby (to a greater degree than homes in an

urban setting) should make themselves aware of ways

they can reduce losses from interface fires. FireSmart

offers people a way to understand and evaluate (or re-

evaluate) their surroundings in a practical and

proactive manner.

Over the past 100 years in the Coastal Fire Centre,

we have experienced an average of 403 wildfires every

year. From a high of 1,866 fires in 1960 to only 90 in

2011, we can never predict the number of wildfires or

where they will strike. However, we do know that there

are ways to reduce fire risks to your property, home,

livestock and family.

To learn how, visit www.firesmartcanada.ca.

FireSmart Canada produces excellent educational

material that will guide you through a series of

evaluations and help you make important decisions

about upgrades, changes or simple modifications to

your property to make it safer.

If you are planning to build a home in the wildland-

urban interface, read through the FireSmart checklist

and select materials for your home based on their

FireSmart characteristics.

If you are buying an existing property, do you know

what to look for in a FireSmart home? Do you know

what fire services (if any) are available in the area? Do

you know what the response time is for the local fire

service? Is there good vehicle access to your site? Is

there a municipal water supply or an onsite water

supply? We encourage you to ask these questions of

your real estate agent, your local government and the

home’s current owner.

FireSmart guides you through major areas of

concern related to wildfires, from your site layout to

your home’s building materials and landscape choices.

It also looks at the overall community. More Canadians

are choosing to live in the wildland-urban interface, but

few recognize the fire hazards or — just as important

— how to mitigate those hazards.

meet to determine the plans viability. If ac-

cepted the process continues; if not, some

modification may be required.

5) Creating a Plan—specific solutions are deter-

mined (everyone must agree), the final plan

is presented to and approved by the FireS-

mart Rep and may help seek the funds to

implement the project if necessary.

6) Implement Solutions—Local solutions imple-

mented according to the schedule set out by

your FireSmart Board.

7) Apply for Recognition—Your board will sub-

mit a recognition form along with the com-

munity plan and FireSmart event documenta-

tion to your Rep.

8) Annual Renewal—submit documentation of

your community’s continued participation to

the FireSmart Rep.

This program is based on grassroots, local

solutions and the involvement of neighbours to

protect one another from the threat of wildfire.

FireSmart Recognition Program

For more info: www.bcwildfire.ca

Partners in

Protection is an

umbrella

organization that

sponsors

FireSmart

initiatives across

Canada

In addition to information on construction materials

and site design, FireSmart Canada provides great ad-

vice about what to plant around your

home. Do you know which plants are

more fire-resistant than others? Do you

know how to design your landscaping to

reduce the fire risk to your home? Know-

ing what to plant (and where to plant it)

is an important consideration for any

homeowner.

Let’s face it: landscape material can

be expensive. So do your research and

buy plant materials that are fire-resistant

and less likely to ignite. FireSmart Can-

ada defines fire-resistant plants as plants

that “can be damaged or even killed by fire; however,

their foliage and stems do not significantly contribute

to the fuel and fire intensity.”

Fire-resistant plants share some common character-

istics. They have: moist and supple leaves; little dead

wood (they tend to not accumulate dead material);

water-like sap with little or no odour; and low levels of

sap or resin material.

Most of the Coastal Fire Centre falls within garden-

FireSmart Landscape

Page 3

Partners in Protection is an umbrella organiza-

tion whose members represent national, provin-

cial and municipal associations and government

agencies that are responsible for emergency re-

sponse and land management, as well as repre-

sentatives from business and industry.

The organization evolved from an Alberta

Forest Service task force that met in 1990 to dis-

cuss wildfire issues in wildland-urban interface

areas. Since those first meetings, the organization

has gone from strength to strength. The organiza-

tion now produces educational tools, raises

awareness of wildland-urban issues, develops

forums to discuss those issues, encourages com-

munity-based initiatives, and develops and dis-

tributes information to help reduce wildfire im-

pacts on homes, communities and businesses.

In 1999, Partners in Protection published

FireSmart: Protecting your Community from

ing zones 4 and 7 (for plant hardiness). Most plants do

well in our climate, so you have a tremendous number

of options when selecting plants for

your yard. Consider using plants that

are fire-resistant, such as pyrcantha for

hedges (instead of juniper).

Planning your landscaping also

means planning your water usage. Con-

sider “xeriscaping” your yard. Xeris-

caping is a method of gardening that

conserves water but does not sacrifice a

beautiful yard in the process.

When creating

garden beds around

your property, you

may want to reconsider the use of

bark mulch. Bark or other plant-

based mulches can be susceptible

to ignition from wildfires or ciga-

rettes. You could use gravel mulch

or other rock-based or mixed

mulches to reduce your fire risk.

For more information, visit

www.FireSmartCanada.ca.

Hardiness Zones for Coastal

Pyrcantha

Junipers

Wildfire. This manual has been circulated widely,

both nationally and internationally. Since its in-

ception, Partners in Protection has evolved from a

group of eight agencies to more than 60 member

organizations, including B.C.’s Wildfire Manage-

ment Branch, First Nation’s Emergency Services

Society (FNESS) and Office of the Fire Com-

misioner.

It has also teamed up with the National Fire

Protection Association (NFPA) in the United

States, a move that has increased opportunities for

international co-operation and the sharing of re-

sources between the two organizations.

This year, Partners in Protection expanded its

program once again to include the FireSmart

Communities Recognition Program. The organi-

zation’s recently revitalized website explores the

benefits of becoming a member of a FireSmart

community: www.FireSmartCanada.ca.

Trim Broom and Gorse away from your property it

has a high resin content and is extremely flammable.

www.firesmartcanada.ca

Partners in Protection

Today At Coastal Weather

The Coastal Fire Centre has some unique

differences that separates it from other fire

centres in the province. Topography, climate and

vegetation are among the many factors that

require Coastal to fight wildfire just a little

differently than in other areas of the province.

With 75% of the province’s population living

within the boundaries of the Coastal Fire Centre

it is extremely important to support the

principles of the FireSmart program.

The Coastal marine climate allows for a longer

growing season. Because of our long, temperate

growing season we have many landscaping options in

terms of species selection which include indigenous

plants and trees that are considered FireSmart. Rather

than spending money replacing plants, why not

encourage indigenous trees including: Bigleaf Maples,

Red Alders, Arbutus (Madrone), Trembling Aspen and

Cottonwood. Shrubs you may want to encourage

include: Salal, Oregon Grape, and Creeping Holly. You

may even want to consider fruits such as raspberries or

blueberries. The options for indigenous species which

are also considered FireSmart are considerable.

While planting thoughtfully is one small piece

of the puzzle it is in no substitute for putting as

much effort into the maintenance and care of

your property, selecting building products that are

more fire resistant when you are required to make

repairs or upgrades or taking yearly evaluations

of your property. For example, if you chose not to

replace that wonderful Douglas fir in your yard

be mindful of the fact that over the winter months

that beautiful tree will drop an enormous amount

of branches, needles and cones. Be sure to clean

out your eavestrough, under your decks and any other

places on your property where this material collects.

This fine debris once dry may become a fire hazard.

Remember to trim low hanging or overhanging branches

away from your home or other structures on your

property. You do not want them to act as a wick for fire

to your home.

Being FireSmart takes

time but is well worth the

effort.

FireSmart in Coastal submitted by Derek Lefler, RPF, Fuels Management

It has been extremely quiet in the Coastal Fire

Centre so we did a little digging to find out how

this June compares to others. What we discovered

was that low numbers in June are not great predic-

tors of what year end totals will arrive at. For ex-

ample, in June of last year we had 17 fires in the

month of June and ended the year with a total of

94 fires, whereas in 2005 we had only 8 fires in

June and ended with 177 fires. Remember also that

these type of statistics are never indicative of the

severity of individual fires or the affects of a single

fire on its surroundings. A single fire can result in

a lot of damage if it is near a population, business

or infrastructure.

While there are few fire related incidents to

report our crews remain busy sandbagging along

the Fraser and in Pemberton.

If you are camping on the long weekend we

would like to remind people to be aware of their

surroundings, keep extra dry clothes on hand and

build an efficient campfire.

Keep warm, dry and safe!

SYNOPSIS (today and tomorrow): An upper trough

following last night’s frontal passage maintains cool and

unsettled conditions across the majority of the fire centre

today. As the upper trough deepens offshore on Satur-

day, the southwesterly flow in its advance should tap

into a feed of moisture off the Washington coast to pro-

duce moderate to heavy showers, most likely over the

Fraser zone. Meanwhile, areas to the north should see a

few sunny breaks with scattered showers likely redevel-

oping by the afternoon. Temperatures remain below

average each day.

OUTLOOK (days 3-5): A more stable westerly flow

gains control over the region on Sunday, although

patchy moisture entrained in the flow should maintain

mainly cloudy skies, near or slightly cooler than average

temperatures, and isolated showers. The next Pacific

frontal system should approach from the northwest on

Monday, pushing showers into the northern half of the

region through the day. Expect generally cool, cloudy,

and unsettled conditions across the northern two thirds

of the region on Tuesday as an upper trough following

Monday’s system maintains control over the coast.

6 TO 10 DAY: As an upper trough positioned off the

BC coast weakens Wednesday and Thursday, Haida

Gwaii and the Mid Coast likely remain cool and cloudy

with possible showers while areas to the

south may begin to trend gradually warmer.

To Date in

Coastal

Fires to Date

Person Caused 20

Lighting Caused 0

Total Number of Fires

20

Hectares burnt 9

Number of Incidents Responded to

96

Fire Danger Rating

As of June 29, 2012

See detailed weather forecast—page 2

Page 4

To Report a Wildfire:

1-800-663-5555 Or Call

*5555 on your cell

Arbutus

Salal