The East Kootenay Emergency Management Program is urging residents and visitors to be aware and prepared heading into the long weekend including emergency preparedness into their pre-weekend planning.
“No matter where your travels may take you this long weekend, it is important to be aware of local conditions and to remain prepared as conditions can change rapidly given the current temperatures and forecast,” says Information Officer. “There are so many simple steps we can take to make sure we are properly informed, abiding by any restrictions that are in place and aware of local conditions from factual sources.”
There is a full fire ban in effect in the Southeast Fire Centre, including the RDEK, that prohibits all open burning and campfires. Portable propane stoves are currently allowed; however, the flame height must be 15cm or smaller and the stove must be ULC or CSA rated.
Duczek encourages anyone traveling to bookmark DriveBC and 511 Alberta to monitor the latest road conditions and closures on their travel routes and to check the bans and restrictions page on www.bcwildfire.ca to ensure they are aware of both burning and access restrictions in their intended destination. “Within the RDEK boundary, we currently have three Area Restrictions that cover a number of popular destinations, including Lussier Hot Springs. There is no public access into these restricted areas and it is extremely important for people to abide by the restrictions for their safety and the safety of those responding to nearby fires. In addition, we encourage people to check out the Area Closures in place by Parks Canada or BC Parks,” adds Duczek.
She also recommends the BRMB Maps app and web app by Backroad Maps as it is an excellent one-stop resource for many of these closures. “The developers have recently added the BC wildfire area restrictions to their database and this is an excellent resource as well,” she says.
Signing up for the Regional Evacuation Notification System (ENS), keeping your gas tank at least half full at all times, having a grab and go kit and an emergency kit ready, and knowing the best website and numbers to call to get local fire and emergency updates are other simple steps you can take to be best prepared this weekend and all year through. To register for the ENS and access other preparedness resources, visit www.rdek.bc.ca.
Fire behaviour is expected to increase through the weekend with the windy, hot and dry conditions. The forecast is also calling for the potential for lightning and thunderstorms. “Early reporting of new fires is critical, so having the BC Wildfire app downloaded on your phone or the numbers easily accessible are other important tools in the toolbox,” adds Duczek. To report a wildfire, or open burning violation, call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on a mobile phone.
The latest updates on the wildfires in BC can be found on www.bcwildfire.ca.
A local emergency information line remains open at 250-426-2188 or toll free 1-855-346-2188 and, when not staffed, will have a recorded message with the most updated information.
