The Office of the Fire Commissioner and BC Wildfire are conducting wildland-urban interface training in Lake Country today.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/STEVE WINDSOR
April 25, 2021 - 12:01 PM
If you see a lot of firefighters in Lake Country, don't be alarmed.
The Office of the Fire Commissioner and BC Wildfire are conducting wildland-urban interface training in Lake Country today.
"The training is being conducted with fire departments from throughout the Okanagan Valley. This training is aimed at the protection of structures in the event of a wildfire," Steve Windsor, fire chief and director of protective services for Lake Country said in an email.
Already this year, there have been a number of fires sparked.
"Spring activity is not unusual. But with not as much precipitation and unseasonably warm weather, we're asking people to be careful," fire information officer Gagan Lidhran said.
Many of these early season fires are driven by winds, dry conditions, and dead surface fuels, like grass and needles.
The worst issue is grass curing in valley bottoms and at lower elevations.
"As the grass and other fuels are dead from over the winter and haven’t yet had a chance to green-up, making them dry and volatile," she said.
"Combined with increasing temperatures and windy conditions, this can cause fires to spread quickly."
Also, most fires are human-caused.
"British Columbians can play a critical role in mitigating wildfire risks around their homes and properties by undertaking FireSmart activities," she said. " We recommend the public take a look at the FireSmart BC webpage for a guide on how to mitigate the risk of wildfires in and around their homes and neighbourhoods."
As for what's to come, Lidhran said it's too early to say but "precipitation will be a factor."
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