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- Many British Columbia residents live in forested areas.
- Wildland/Urban Interface is the area where flammable forest fuels
such as trees, shrubs and branches and improvements, such as houses,
sheds and fences come together.
- Each year a British Columbia there is an average of 2500 forest fires.
- Although most are far from populated areas, some threaten and occasionally
burn homes, summer cottages and cabins.
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The desire to get away from the pressures of heavily populated areas
has resulted in an increase in subdivisions and developments in forested
areas. As more and more people settle in British Columbia's forested and
grassland areas, the risk of property losses to wildlife increases. Everyone
shares the responsibility of preserving life and property by planning
for fire protection. If you live in a forested area, you need to be prepared!
Know your home and property
- Before you buy, familiarize yourself with fire protection services
available in the area
- Contact the nearest Forest Service office for the forest fire history
of the area.
- Forest Service personnel can assist you to develop your fire protection
plan.
 Thin
and prune trees and bush
- During a forest fire, vegetation is fuel. Prevent structure loss by
clearing and thinning trees and bush.
- Thin trees to leave three metres (10 feet) of separation.
- Remove dead or highly flammable trees.
- On level ground, thin strands of trees within two tree heights (minimum
30 metres - 100 feet) of the structure.
- On sloped ground, thin down slope strands of trees to a greater distance
from the structure. On steeper slopes, thin trees further down slope
from the structure.
- Prune trees - remove branches within 2.5 metres (8 feet) of the ground.
Perform a general clean-up
- Regularly remove and dispose of logs, needles, twigs and shrubs that
encourage the spread of fire on the ground.
- Keep firewood and debris piles at least 10 metres (30 feet) away -
never down slope - from a structure.
- Clear over-hanging branches, needles and other combustible debris
from the roof.
- Remove accumulated debris from below slotted deck surfaces.
Establish "priority zones"
Priority Zone 1:
Remove most of the trees and bush within 10 metres (30 feet) of all structures.
Priority Zone 2:
Thin trees and bush up to 30 metres (100 feet) of all structures.
Locate fuel tanks away from structures
Roofing
- Untreated, wooden shake roofs are the number one cause of home losses
in wildfires.
- Use fire resistant roofing material like metal roofing, clay or concrete
tile, asphalt shingle or treated wooden shakes.
Balconies, decks and eaves
- Construct deck supports of non-combustible materials or encase them
- heavy timbers are more fire resistant.
- Enclose the underside of overhangs with nonflammable material or plywood
sheathing.
- Construct balcony and deck surfaces of non-combustible or fire retardant
materials.
Exterior siding
- Use fire resistant building materials such as stucco, metal, brick,
cement shingles, concrete block, poured concrete and rock.
- Ensure siding material is a minimum of 12 millimetres (1/2 inch) thick
and extends from ground level to the roof line.
Windows and vents
- Ensure windows do not face trees or bush within 10 metres (30 feet).
- Use double paned windows with metal blinds.
- Ensure vent openings are screened with six millimetres (1/4 inch) mesh.
- Have fire shutters or screens that can be rapidly placed over windows
or vent openings if fire approaches.
- Maintain access to attics, crawl spaces and under deck areas so that
spot fires can be detected and extinguished following the passage of
fire.
Utilities
- Maintain a 3 metre (10 feet) clearance between branches, trees and
power lines. Contact the utility company to remove dead or diseased
standing timber within a tree length of the power line.
- Clear combustible material within 3 metres (10 feet) of fuel tanks.
Locate tanks at least 10 metres (30 feet) away from structures.
Chimney and stove pipes
- Cover chimney outlets with wire screen - mesh no larger than 12 millimetres
(1/2 inch).
- Clear branches within 3 metres (10 feet).
- Ensure that chimney outlet clearances are maintained a minimum of
.6 metres (24 inches) from roof peak and a minimum of .9 metres (35
inches) from the roof directly below.
For more information on the BC Forest Service Protection program, contact
the office nearest you:
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BC Forest Service - Protection Program
Victoria, BC, (250) 387-5965
Coastal Fire Centre
Parksville, BC, (250) 951-4222
Northwest Fire Centre
Smithers, BC, (250) 847-6600
Prince George Fire Centre
Prince George, BC, (250) 565-6126 |
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Kamloops Fire Centre
Kamloops, BC, (250) 554-5500
Southeast Fire Centre
Castlegar, BC, (250) 365-4040
Caribou Fire Centre
Williams Lake, BC, (250) 989-2600 |
Delta Fire Dept.
