Wildfire Safety

Fire & Rescue Services

More Resources

Downloads
Community Wildfire Protection Plan - PDF
FireSmart Manual - PDF
FireSmart Presentation - Powerpoint
Wildfire Hazard Assessment Map - PDF

City of Kamloops
How to Protect Your Home
In The Event of a Wildfire
Forest Fuel Management
Wildfire Protection Program

Regional / Provincial
BC Wildfire Management
Provincial Emergency Program - BC
Thompson-Okanagan Interface Committee

How to Protect Your Home

Be Prepared
Many Kamloops residents live in or near 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.

In BC, some 2500 forest fires annually threaten and occassionally burn homes, summer cottages and cabins.

Your home doesn't have to be right along parklands or undeveloped lands to be at risk. In this photo, an ignited hedge from a flying ember threatens this home and surrounding neighbours because the hedge is too close to structures.

Minimize the Risk
Everyone shares the responsibility of preserving life and property by planning for fire protection. If you live in a forested area, you need to minimize the risk.

Prune trees regularly.

Clean up debris.

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 brush.

Tips for Pruning
During a forest fire, vegetation is fuel. Prevent structure loss by clearing and thinning trees and brush.

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 downslope stands of trees to a greater distance from the structure. On steeper slopes, thin trees further downslope 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 downslope - 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 trees and brush within 10 metres (30 feet) of structures.
Priority Zone 2: Thin trees and brush up to 30 metres (100 feet) of structures.

How You Can Build or Remodel a House to be Wildfire Safe

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 non-flammable 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 (½ inch) thick and extends from ground level to the roof line.

Windows and Vents
Ensure windows do not face trees or brush within 10 metres (30 feet).
Use double paned windows with metal blinds.
Ensure vent openings are screened with six millimetres (¼ 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 underdeck areas so that spot fires can be detected and extinguished following the passage of fire.
Locate fuel tanks away from structures.

Utilities
Maintain a 3 metre (10 feet) clearance between branches, trees and powerlines. 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.

More Information
For more information on the BC Forest Service Protection program, contact the office nearest you:

Kamloops Fire Centre
Kamloops, BC, (250) 554-5500

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

Southeast Fire Centre
Castlegar, BC, (250) 365-4040

Cariboo Fire Centre
Williams Lake, BC, (250) 989-2600

Contact
Kamloops Fire Rescue
1205 Summit Drive
Kamloops, BC V2C 5R9
ph (250) 372-5131
fax (250) 372-1447
email fireinfo@kamloops.ca

Note: All correspondence is entered into our system, and will be dealt with in due process. Please allow several working days for a response. Thank you.