B.C. Wildfire Service advises people follow FireSmart guidelines to protect properties

With the heat wave baking the Vernon area and the ongoing White Rock Lake wildfire continuing to grow, B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) is advising people to follow FireSmart guidelines in and around their houses.

While BCWS is focusing on properties most at risk of the blaze, but in the meantime, the public can do work on their own to reduce the risk of fire damage.

“It means keeping all those fine fuels away from your structure. It means not letting combustible vegetation grow right next to your property. I’m talking five feet away is all you need,” said Neill Moroz, the Structural Protection Branch Director, who was speaking in Vernon Thursday.

“Also combustible lawn furniture, even a door mat can take out a house if it’s allowed to. If an ember lands on that, it can take it out. That’s all the FireSmarting you need to do in some places, though some places require more.”

It’s also recommended that people clean their roofs and gutters of combustible materials in case an ember lands on it; install fire-resistant siding, roof and windows; ensure doors are fire-rated and have a proper seal; and clean the property of any debris, including from under decks and stairs.

More tips can be found at FireSmart B.C.’s website.

Meantime, BCWS continues to focus it’s attention on the hot spots and priority areas, including in the area around Westside Road.

That work involves creating what Moroz describes as a ‘humidity bubble’ around structures using sprinklers and hosing.

“Fire is lazy, so it’s going to take the path of least resistance,” said Moroz.

“So when we create this humidity bubble, the fire front comes in and goes around the humidity bubble and can’t to the home.”

He adds the public can also create their own ‘bubble’ with irrigation sprinklers as well.

Moroz said people need to follow evacuation alerts when they’re issued, so that structural protection crews can get in and focus on protecting properties and not have to instead redirect resources to help people get to safety.