Fire Centre thankful for public assistance

Cooler weather and precipitation have led the Southeast Fire Centre to lift the campfire ban in many areas, but fire officials are thanking the public for their cooperation and assistance in this year’s busy fire season.

Public vigilance and respect for campfire and open burning bans allowed the Southeast Fire Centre to send crews, fire management specialists and support personnel to other areas in the province to respond to a significant number of large fires.

Eighteen 3-person Initial Attack Crews and four 20-person Unit Crews are currently assisting in the Kamloops, Coastal and Northwest Fire Centres. Over twenty Forest Protection Officers and additional support staff are also working in other areas of British Columbia. Ten Initial Attack crews remain in the Southeast to respond to anticipated fire starts in this area. [Read more]

Province-wide fire ban, BC gets help from Ontario

Ontario fire crews to assist B.C.

British Columbia is welcoming additional personnel from Ontario and New Brunswick to assist B.C. fire crews as hot and dry conditions continue in the province, Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell announced today. [Read more]

Increase in human-caused fires prompts campfire ban

Press release –

Campfires Prohibited Throughout the Southeast Fire Centre.

CASTLEGAR – Effective at 12:00 noon on Friday, July 24 2009 and until further notice, all campfires are prohibited throughout the Southeast Fire Centre. This campfire ban is in addition to the existing restriction on Category 1 (including fireworks and burning barrels), Category 2 and Category 3 open fires. [Read more]

Rate of human-caused fires decreases

Press release –

CASTLEGAR – The Southeast Fire Centre thanks the public for heeding calls to reduce the number of human-caused fires.

Since July 3, when campers were warned that irresponsible fire use could result in a complete ban on campfires, crews in the Southeast have responded to only five human-caused wildfires. Fire Wardens found 21 abandoned campfires the weekend of July 4 and 5, but that number decreased significantly last weekend, with only five abandoned fires discovered.

Despite the recent decrease in preventable fire-starts, the number of human-caused fires remains unusually high. Crews have responded to 62 such fires this year, compared to an average of 45 preventable fires in previous years. [Read more]

Arsonist scorches forest near Wilmer

A series of intentionally lit fires in the forest created a small wildfire near Wilmer over the weekend.

Forest fire fighters from the Invermere Fire Base were called to the blaze on Friday evening, located in a forested area adjacent to West Side Road north of Wilmer. Southeast Fire Centre spokesperson Gwen Eamer explained that three separate ignition points were discovered, of which two separate wildfires resulted. [Read more]

Jaffray area fire protection gets thermal imaging

Press release –

New Technology for Baynes Lake Fire Department.

The Baynes Lake Fire Department is armed with a new thermal imaging camera (TIC), thanks to generous donations from the Baynes Lake Lions Club. [Read more]