When the fire risk is High

... do work & chores before 1 p.m.

When the fire risk is high activities that may start a fire must be completed before 1 p.m. each day. You should think about the sparks from exhaust, sparks from blades hitting rocks or other metal, friction and other sources of heat. You must have water available and ready, should a fire start. If you need to work with these tools use them in the mornings when the relative humidity and fuel moisture is highest and temperatures are cooler. You must stay on site and watch the area for smoke for two hours after you finish your work. If you do this, and have some water on hand you will not likely start a large fire.

Why 1 p.m.?

The reason for 1 p.m. is simple: If a fire does start there is a much higher chance that it can be contained before dark if it is reported early in the day. Fires will grow in size after dark. It is extremely dangerous and sometimes impossible to fight fires in dense smoke and darkness. Water bombers and helicopters must return to base one hour before sunset. If it is windy a small fire could grow to involve most of Pender Island between sunset and dawn. We must have the time to contain fires in daylight or we may all be looking for another place to live.

When the fire risk is Extreme all high risk/industrial activity must cease except with the written permission of the Fire Chief

In Extreme fire risk conditions fires will start very easily and spread very quickly. During these conditions it is simply too risky to take unnecessary chances.

Balancing fire risk safety with economic consequences

The Fire Department wants to ensure that the impacts on jobs and projects are minimized.

PIFR has authority under the Acts and Regulations to issue exemptions from restrictions or closures providing there is a clear need to complete the work and fire safety plans and measures are implemented to mitigate the fire risks. Exemptions may be obtained from Fire Hall #1.

          Capital Regional District

                      Bylaw 3452

The following definitions are from CRD Bylaw 3452 and apply to work allowed during High or Extreme Fire conditions. Bylaw 3452 is supplementary to the Wildfire Act and Forest practices Code which must also be referenced prior to starting any work during High or Extreme fire conditions.

• “High risk activity” means each of the following: mechanical brushing, disk trenching, preparation or use of explosives, using fire- or spark- producing tools including cutting tools, using or preparing fireworks or pyrotechnics, grinding, mechanical land clearing, log forwarding other than by logging truck on a road, skidding logs, yarding logs using cable systems, using a vehicle with metal tracks, chains or studs, operating a power saw, clearing or maintaining right of ways, including grass mowing, rock drilling, tree processing including de-limbing, welding, portable wood chipping, milling, processing or manufacturing.

• Note: Spark producing tools includes lawn mowers with metal blades, gas weed-eaters, and other small motors that may produce sparks near grass or forests.

• “Industrial activity” means activities that include debris piling, mechanical modification of forest debris, railway operations, utility transmission operations, mining operations, silviculture treatments as defined under section 1(1) of the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation of B.C. Reg. 14/2004, wood milling, processing and manufacturing, timber harvesting, road construction, road maintenance or road deactivation, yarding logs using helicopters or lighter than air vehicles, operating power saw, loading logs or use of machinery on a road or a landing or in a log sort area.

• Note: Road construction and mechanical modification of forest fuels includes the use of rubber tired machines and excavators to build driveways and/or move branches, duff or trees within 300 meters of the forest.

The CRD Bylaw can be reviewed in full on the following site:

http://www.crd.bc.ca/bylaws/fireprotection_/bl34520000/BL34520000.pdf

                 The Wildfire Act

When the threat of forest fire is high to extreme, the Wildfire Act places restrictions on a range of activities within 300 metres of forest land or grass land. These activities are wide ranging and include using chain saws, wood chipping and grass mowing.

How does this affect you?

Find the answers to these critical questions.

What is the fire risk?

Click here and you will see that the fire risk is detailed by date and forecast ahead three days. Scroll down and check the fire risk values for both "SALTSPRING 2" and "SATURNA." If the risk levels vary, the highest risk applies to Pender. If you have any questions about the current fire risk on Pender Island please phone Fire Hall #1 at 250-629-3321.

What are high risk activities?

Click here and scroll down the page to High Risk Activity.

How are these activities restricted?

Click here for a full list of restrictions.

Restrictions are set out according to the level of the fire risk and the duration of the risk.

Persons responsible for starting wildfires can be held responsible for all fire fighting costs ($1.2 million on Galiano Island in 2006) and are subject to fines up to $1 million dollars or to imprisonment of up to three years or both. Do the math and make sure you understand your responsibilities.

Forest Fire Prevention

& Suppression Regulation

of the Forest Practices Code of BC Act

Contractors and other persons working on the land base are also subject to the forest fire prevention provisions of the Forest Practices Code. To review your obligations under this Act, click here.