KAMLOOPS — Just one spark. That’s all it takes to start a fire in the hot and dry conditions Kamloops is currently experiencing.
It’s a reality evidenced by last summer’s volatile wildfire season, when numerous human-caused fires grew out of control.
As Kamloops once again faces conditions known to increase fire danger, the local fire department is urging residents to be cautious with any activity that could ignite another blaze.
“One spark can cause a wildfire. Sometimes it seems like that’s not true, but one spark can easily start a wildfire,” Kamloops Fire Rescue Life Safety Educator Lyle Weninger said. “So if people are working outside, keep a shovel handy, keep water. If you’re using power equipment outside around those interface areas, always keep some way to extinguish a fire if something did happen.”
People should also be mindful of when they perform any task that could produce sparks.
“When you’re doing your yard work, try to get it done by 10:00 a.m. when it’s a little cooler, and make sure you don’t do it on a really windy day.”
The fire danger rating throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre ranges from moderate to high, and with no rain in the immediate forecast, the rating could increase.
As of noon on Thursday, all campfires will be prohibited throughout the region. But, campfires aren’t the only concern for Kamloops Fire Rescue.
“53 per cent of fires in B.C. are human caused every year,” Weninger said. “A lot of those are caused by improperly discarded cigarettes. So, we’re telling people, always make sure you put (a cigarette) out inside an ashtray, and a lot of new cars nowadays don’t have ashtrays. So have some type of a proof container inside your car that you can put those cigarettes out properly.”
Under the Wildfire Act, anyone who fails to extinguish, or drops a burning substance, like a cigarette, could be subject to a $575 fine.
And, if that cigarette sparks a wildfire, you could be on the hook for fire suppression costs.
In Kamloops, the city has taken a firm stance on smoking in parks.
“There is a bylaw in the City of Kamloops that prevents people from smoking in the parks,” Weninger said. “Bylaw Services does patrol our parks and watches for that.”
All terrain vehicles and dirt bikes are also prohibited in city parks.
