Penticton residents get advice protecting property from wildfires

PENTICTON – Residents of Sendero Canyon braved the rain to take part in a session on wildfire preparedness yesterday.

The Penticton Fire Department and Wildfire Management hosted an informative session on preparing for a wildfire on Sunday, May 29, at the growing subdivision just off Carmi Road.

Penticton Fire Chief Larry Watkinson was pleased with the number of residents who showed up in spite of a sudden downpour.

“Considering the weather, for 30 people to show up and go for a walkabout in the middle of a downpour, I was quite impressed with the residents and their commitment to the firesmart program,” Watkinson says.

He said residents learned not only how to protect their homes, but also learned how to be prepare themselves and be proactive in the preparation of their homes in the event of a wildfire evacuation.

The city continues its work to secure grant funding to perform mitigative work on high priority areas along the city’s boundaries. Watkinson says the two top priority sites for the mitigation work include the top of Riddle Road in the Three Blind Mice are and near the Campbell Mountain landfill.

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