Kamloops fire officials urge residents to “FireSmart” properties as wildfire risk remains high

“Fires enter a community through this rain of embers, and fire is opportunistic. It’s probing. It’s looking for stuff to burn. So, if you have mulch or a conifer shrub right beside your house, those embers will find it.” says Mike Flannigan, BC Innovation Research Chair in Predictive Services, Emergency Management and Fire Science at Thompson Rivers University.

Kamloops Fire Rescue says those embers can find fire fuels in some of the most common places around a property.

“If your home is not FireSmart — if you don’t have an asphalt shingle roof, if you have vinyl siding, if you have a bunch of buildup of leaves, pine needles up against your house or in your eaves — that’s what those embers are catching.” says Josh Cowan, KFR life safety educator.

Residents can start by clearing leaves and needles from roofs, eaves and gutters — and moving firewood, flammable mulch and shrubs away from the building. Flannigan says that work needs to happen long before a fire approaches.

“Look at things like FireSmart. These are things we should be doing before the fire comes over the hill. And building materials — that zone right around your home should be free of flammable material.” Flannigan added when speaking to CFJC Today.

The goal is to make it harder for an ember to set fire to a structure, and in turn prevent the spread throughout a neighborhood.

“If you actually do FireSmart your home, then those embers might not create a structure fire. With our staffing levels, we don’t have a lot of staff to fight multiple different structure fires at once.” says Cowan

Preparation also means being ready to leave if conditions change quickly.

“Another thing is to have a go-bag ready. You never know how fast it’s going to happen. Look at Summerland — it was over the course of one night.”

Cowan also recommends downloading the Voyent Alert app to receive local emergency notifications. And with fire season expected to stretch further into fall, officials say the best time to protect your home — is before the next fire starts.

by Jeremy Russo

Kamloops fire officials urge residents to “FireSmart” properties as wildfire risk remains high

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