Remember to Stay Prepared for Wildfires
Fire consumes California forest in Sept. 2008. Photo by: Bureau of Land Management
In British Columbia alone, more than 20 wildfires are currently burning. Did you know that you can stay in the know by checking out the federal government’s BC Wildfire Service website?
If you have a look around their website, you can find helpful information on driving routes and conditions surrounding wildfires, as well as regularly updated information on the air quality index. If you’re on Twitter, you can also add @EmergencyInfoBC to get notified of any alerts or advisories. We also recommend this preparedess guide from the Leibel Insurance Group. It even includes a real-time map showing the latest fire bans in Alberta.
If the air is all smoky or you’ve heard of a fire in your area, it’s a good idea to check in with this website and see what emergency management officials are saying. Then, if necessary, spread the word!
In BC, our forests and wildlands cover more than 94 out of our 95 million hectares. We face approximately 2,000 wildfires each year. Thankfully, the BC Wildfire Service contains the majority of these fires within 24 hours. However, it’s still important to know what to do, in case a wildfire gets out of control and spreads, to endanger you, your home or your family.
- Develop a household plan.
- Assemble your emergency kit.
- Connect with your neighbours.
- Heed prohibitions.
- Camp responsibly. Check BC Parks for fire restrictions.
- Call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on your cell if you spot smoke, flames or an unattended campfire.
- Know the evacuation stages: Evacuation Alert, Evacuation Order, and Evacuation Rescinded.
If you’re from another province, check out our next blog post for a list of resources you may find useful, when learning about wildfires in your region.
-Article contributed by Sophie Wooding – Avid gardener and cyclist in Victoria, BC and Content Writer for Frontier.io
