Fire Prevention and Safety

June 21, 2004

Our long, hot summers may be wonderful for kids who enjoy their summer break but when it comes to forest fires, these hot, dry spells set up the perfect conditions for devastating forest fires like those that occurred last summer in the Interior of B.C and elsewhere.

Many agencies have been working on fire prevention strategies and have developed some guidelines that homeowners should be aware of to give us the best possible chance of saving our homes from a fire.

Much of this information has been gathered on the Government of British Columbia’s Provincial Emergency Program website at www.pep.bc.ca. When you’re on the website, look for the Fire Smart manual. It’s full of great information about what you can do to better protect your home from fires, especially large scale fires like those experienced in the interior of BC last summer. It looks like we’re in for another hot, dry summer and if your house is nestled into the trees; you’ll want to read this material. And for you folks that are planning to build a new home near a stand of trees, there are recommendations about the best building materials to use.

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