A workshop in the Decker Lake Hall sought to inform residents of the risks and precautions of wildfires as the hot and dry season approaches.
The event was held on March 20 and was organized by Debbie Evans, Agriculture Coordinator with the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako.
Her workshop included a historical overview of wildfire activity in the region stretching back to the 1920s.
“There’s evidence of some really large fires in this area in the 1930s,” she told Lakes District News.
But comparing that era to our own, the conditions on the land are drier and fires are becoming more unpredictable.
Evans also covered aspects of the FireSmart program for safeguarding homes against wildfire risks.
The FireSmart treatment begins with the house itself and warns against having combustible roofs made of cedar and against the buildup of cedar mulch near the house.
“Usually fires start with spark transfers. If there’s nothing combustible on a house it won’t burn,” she said.
Going 30-100 metres away from the house it is advised that there shouldn’t be conifer trees on the property.
There’s a risk that if a house doesn’t meet FireSmart standards fire suppression crews might not use their resources on it, Evans warned.
Farmers and livestock owners are also a big part of wildfire preparedness, and Evans explained that Emergency Management British Columbia has contributed $1.4 million to help with the costs of relocating animals and providing feed in emergencies.
However, she pointed out that only commercial livestock owners - not hobby farmers - are supported through that program.
The breakdown for livestock includes $4.50 per day for beef and dairy cattle, $7.50 a day for horses, $1.50 for sheet and goats and $2.50 per day for pigs.
Emergency hay supplies are provided through the scheme as well. The disruptions of last year’s wildfires saw animals grazing eight weeks earlier than usual and many used up their winter hay, Evans said.
This year Evans is rolling out the use of black PVC tubes containing information sheets and maps with inventories of flammable materials, hazards and water sources on residents’ farms.
When fire crews approach the property they can find the tube in a mailbox and read the information and know more efficiently how to approach and what to avoid.
The March 20 meeting was the sixth that Evans has held in the region.
“I’ve worked with 145 people at them,” she said. “My goal is to reach 300.”
Blair McBride
Multimedia reporter
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