Friday, May 15, 2009

Be Safe With Campfires and Open Burning

PUBLIC ENCOURAGED TO
PLAY IT SAFE WITH FIRES

The Coastal Fire Centre is urging British Columbians to be vigilant with campfires and other open burning during the May long weekend. Individuals should ensure they are burning in a safe manner.

Since April 1, fire crews have responded to 285 fires across the province, of which more than 98 per cent were human-caused. Within the Coastal Fire Centre’s jurisdiction, 32 fires have been responded to, of which 100 per cent were human-caused

Although temperatures for most of the province have been cooler than normal this spring, it takes only a few days of warm weather to dry out grasses and forest fuels. Within the Coastal area, the forecast into the weekend is for sunny and warm weather with no precipitation.


Campers should never leave their campfires unattended. Always have water and hand tools ready to prevent flames from escaping. To extinguish a campfire, saturate it with water until the ashes are completely cold to the touch.


Individuals considering open burning are advised to check with local authorities to see if restrictions are in place. When conducting backyard burning, always ensure enough water, people and tools are available to prevent the fire from escaping.

Fire seasons are starting earlier and lasting longer, making it more important than ever for the public to help prevent fires.

For the latest information on fire bans, fire danger ratings and weather information, visit the B.C. Wildfire Management website at www.bcwildfire.ca. Please report all grass and forest fires to 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on the cellular network.


allvoices

1 comment:

  1. This is a serious and important subject we should all be following. Thanks for the post.

    ReplyDelete

Your comment will appear after moderation before publishing,

Thank you for your comments.Any comment that could be considered slanderous or includes unacceptable language will be removed.

Thank you for participating and making your opinions known.

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.