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| Early forest fire warning issued for central Island |
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2006/4/18
People need to be careful when backyard burning, despite the amount of rain this spring on Vancouver Island, says the B.C. Forest Service.
The ground is drying out and small fires can quickly get out of control. Nanaimo Fire Rescue extinguished a grass fire last weekend on Dumont Road, caused by a legal backyard burn.
Grass and open fires are the most common fire threats in spring, as homeowners and land managers burn debris from the winter, but sometimes underestimate fire risk conditions or their fire control capabilities.
“It is the most common type of fire we see in the spring,” said Radha Fisher, provincial fire information officer. “It’s a good reminder as we head into our active fire season.”
Since April 1, the forest service responded to 29 fires in the B.C. Interior – all of them started by people.
April 8 a grass fire 10 kilometres north of Williams Lake threatened a number of structures but was contained by local fire fighters and forest service crews to 45 hectares. A second fire in the immediate area burned 22 ha.
Last year was one of the slowest fire seasons in the past 30 years in B.C., but the two years before that were some of the most active.
“We can never predict what the season will be,” Fisher said. “We can only prepare.”
People also need to be aware of their legal obligations if they are burning in their backyards, said Fisher.
People using fire within one kilometre of forest or grass land are legally required under the Wildfire Act to ensure the fire is safe to light, that it does not escape and that they have adequate resources immediately available to handle any escapes that may occur.
Report grass and forest fires to 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on your cell phone. |
| Source:http://www.nanaimobulletin.com |
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