(CFJC Today/Kent Simmonds).

By Aaron Schulze

East Interface Fire

‘Those events will be more common’: East Interface Fire debrief highlights recommended preventive measures

Oct 5, 2021 | 4:50 PM

KAMLOOPS — The July 27 post-event debrief of the Kamloops East Interface Fire was presented to council during Tuesday’s (Oct. 5) meeting.

Kamloops Fire Rescue (KFR) Fire Chief Steve Robinson spoke in council chambers and mentioned some of challenges of the July 1 fire in the Juniper Ridge and Valleyview area, such as the unpredictable nature of the thunderstorm only making it possible for tactical evacuation techniques instead of issuing evacuation alerts and orders.

There is room for improvement when responding to interface fires, however. Robinson said some of the actions the City could take going forward include returning to yearly multi-agency tabletop evacuation exercises in a post-pandemic world, create an evacuation preparedness campaign to help residents and increase the capacity of Emergency Operations Centre staff. The City has begun work on some of the recommendations for improvement such as implementing an emergency alert app and exploring opportunities to increase accessibility and safety of emergency exit routes.

Following the presentation, Councillor Dieter Dudy asked Robinson if other areas in Kamloops, such as Westsyde, have been given consideration that could face a problem like the East Interface Fire. Robinson responded that those are other challenges they’ll need to look at.

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“I think we have to be very serious and take into the effects of climate change that is occurring. We saw it in effect with this heat dome that was, I don’t think anybody here has ever seen that in the City of Kamloops, five or six days of plus 40 degrees,” Robinson said. “Everything I’ve read said those events will be more common in the future. Fire behaviour was different. Some of these wildfires this year was Rank Five or Rank Six fire at night. That’s not the norm. We are looking at what we can do to understand that new threat.”

Although Robinson said there were some successes from the East Interface Fire, including no injuries or lives lost, protecting property and infrastructure and reducing economic and social losses.

“The event occurred on the evening of a statutory holiday, yet the response for assistance was overwhelming,” Robinson said. “They weren’t waiting for the phone call; they were showing up.”

Robinson said KFR pumped 73 days worth of water into the Juniper Ridge area over a day and a half to respond to the East Interface Fire. While Kamloops’ water system runs automatically, Robinson says it required a lot of manual manipulation for that amount of water to be provided.

Moving forward, an update was provided on the Juniper Ridge east and west emergency exits. Development, Engineering and Sustainability Director Marvin Kwiatkowski said design work is underway for Juniper East, and construction could start as early as fall as the city’s application to the B.C. government was approved and council has set aside $400,000 for it.

For Juniper West, a public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 2 for a rezoning application of 1830 Qu’Appelle Blvd. and 2213 Coldwater Dr for a residential subdivision and dedication of park and open space.

(City of Kamloops).