Bc Wildfire 2015
Premier asks you to burn responsibly this May long weekend
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – In light of the unseasonably hot and dry conditions throughout the province, Premier Christy Clark is asking residents to be extra cautious this long weekend. "Every summer, the risk of fire increases. With many parts of the province facing unseasonably warm and dry weather, that risk increases even more — putting people's homes...
Fire danger ratings reach extreme
OPEN BURNING RESTRICTIONS START FRIDAY THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Open fires were already set to be restricted in many parts of the Kamloops fire centre beginning May 15 but with unseasonably warm and dry weather well under way, the entire fire centre will now be put under restrictions beginning this weekend. The Clearwater and Salmon Arm fire...
New wildfire recruits put through paces
MERRITT - More than 200 seasonal firefighter applicants have made the cut and this month they are being put through a ‘rigorous’ bootcamp near Merritt. About 1,000 people, many of which are post-secondary students, apply for the positions every year. Provincial Fire Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek says the job is "very in demand" and the...
Expect to see smoke along the Coquihalla this week
KAMLOOPS - A series of small burns north of Merritt, off the Coquihalla Highway, will be conducted by Wildfire Management Branch personnel starting this week. The controlled burns will take place Thursday, April 30, and Tuesday, May 5, and are in preparation for a training course that will help students determine the origin and cause...
Expect to see smoke in Kamloops today
KAMLOOPS - The City of Kamloops is undertaking another controlled burn today, this time at the Dallas Barnhartvale Nature Park. The city worked with B.C. Wildfire on prescribed burns within Kenna Cartwright Park back in March and with the venting index at a good level today, April 23, burn piles will now be ignited at...
Early start to wildfire season in Southern Interior, numbers still below 10-year average
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A series of wildfires were ignited this past weekend as dry weather combined with warming temperatures to create conditions ideal for human-caused fires. B.C. Wildfire crews responded to four fires over the weekend, two in the Kamloops part of the fire centre and two in the southern tip. Information Officer Kayla Pepper says...
Forestry crew mopping up wildfire near Okanagan Connector
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – A human-caused wildfire sparked south of the Okanagan Connector Saturday afternoon is being mopped up by a Wildfire Management crew today. Fire information officer Kayla Pepper says an initial attack crew of 13 firefighters responded to the blaze which grew to 11-hectares in size near Starshine Way Road, north of Missezula Lake yesterday...
Busy wildfire season predicted for Interior
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Be prepared for a fire season reminiscent of 2003 — maybe — regional emergency personnel were told at a workshop this week. Comparisons to the year more than 200 homes were destroyed in the Okanagan Mountain Fire and 72 homes lost in the McLure Fire were heard at a spring readiness workshop hosted...
More controlled burns planned for Lytton area
LYTTON - With a goal of reducing interface wildfire risk and restoring natural ecosystems B.C. Wildfire will be in the Lytton area over the next two weeks performing prescribed burns. This year work will be done in a subdivision above Loring Way east of Lytton, in Skihist Provincial Park and in an area northwest of...
IN PHOTOS: Controlled burns helping Kenna ecosystem
KAMLOOPS - Highly visible prescribed burns are underway at Kenna Cartwright Park and two local natural resource professors are happy the work is finally being done. Wendy Gardner and John Karakatsoulis both say the burns are necessary to bring the park back to its natural state and allow native vegetation to flourish. “This park is...
Wildfire risk a concern this weekend
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - People are urged to be cautious with any open burning this weekend as we get set to experience warmer temperatures and a continued early drying trend. With temperatures set to hit the double digits every day over the next week, B.C. Wildfire warns there is an increased 'preventable' wildfire risk heading into the...
Smoke leads Vernon firefighters to the Ministry of Forests
VERNON - The Vernon Fire Department attended the scene of a fire Tuesday not knowing the Ministry of Forests set it on purpose. The B.C Wildfire Management Branch planned the controlled burn just off Highway 97 in the Predator Ridge area but didn’t give the Vernon Fire Department any notice. Deputy fire chief Jack Blair...
Why this controlled burn was needed in a West Kelowna park
KELOWNA - You might notice smoke coming from West Kelowna’s Kalamoir Regional Park today while crews conduct a controlled burn. Due to vandalism on some of the trees near the King Road entrance to the park, the Central Okanagan Regional District is burning wood debris that could pose a fire hazard. The regional district picked...
Prescribed burns planned for Kenna Cartwright Park
KAMLOOPS - Expect to see smoke in the air later this month as the city works to protect our large urban nature park from a potentially catastrophic fire. The City of Kamloops is working with B.C. Wildfire performing a prescribed burn in Kenna Cartwright Park with the hope of completing it this month. Starting later...