Tag Archives: forest fire

Last evening the residents of Nordegg and Lodgepole, Alberta were each evacuated due to an approaching wildfire.

The fire threatening Nordegg was just 2 kilometres away from the community and high winds were a concern. Overnight the growth of the fire slowed as the winds calmed. The Noregg fire is over 200 hectares in size. Nordegg is 200 kilometres southwest of Edmonton.  Residents have been on a 1 hour evacuation standby alert since Thursday.

Residents were advised to register at the curling rink in Rocky Mountain House (90 km east of Nordegg).

The fire threatening Lodgepole is about 1,400 hectares in size.  Residents were evacuated last evening after heavy winds caused a wildfire to jump the Pembina River about eight kilometres south of the hamlet.  The residents were directed to go to the Omniplex in Drayton Valley.

Read more:
Evacuation notices issued for Nordegg, Lodgepole (CBC)
Wildfires force evacuation of Nordegg and Lodgepole (Calgary Herald)
Nordegg, Lodgepole ordered to evacuate due to wildfires (Global News)

The increasing fire danger rating in Quebec has led to an open fire ban across the entire province.

A dozen forest fires are burning across the province currently.  167 fires have burned in the province this year so far.

No major fires have been reported. The largest fire, in Pontiac in the Gatineau region, covers about 10 hectares.

The majority of the fires have been started by residents and farmers clearing fields, and burning brush and debris.

To keep up to date with the current forest fire conditions across the country, bookmark our “Forest Fire Links” page.

Read more:
Open fires banned as forest fires burn across Quebec (CBC)

Prince Edward Island

In PEI, fire officials are battling a major forest fire on the Friston Road near Pleasant Grove and Covehead area.

The fire started this afternoon and quickly spread. Strong southwesterly winds have turned the fire into a crown fire.

By 6pm local time, the fire was 10 acres in size. The area is heavily wooded and difficult for firemen to attack.

The fire appears to be suspicious in nature. A second fire, smaller in size, broke out near by, and firefighters report an earlier fire was extinguished earlier this week.

The forest fire index was increased to high across the province on Monday.

Read more:
BREAKING: ‘Major’ fire burning woods near Pleasant Grove (The Guardian)

Nova Scotia

In Nova Scotia, firefighters are battling a forest fire on Lansdowne Road in Digby County.  2 helicopters are helping fight the blaze.

2 homes were at risk earlier, but have been spared.

More info:
Fire crews battle Digby County forest fire (CBC)

British Columbia

As of this morning, the Spatsum Creek wildfire (10 km south of Ashcroft) is now 240 hectares in size.

Sustained-action crews, helicopters and airtankers worked hard attacking the fire yesterday.

Today, approximately 60 fire fighters, three helicopters and airtankers were set to action the fire.

The Spatsum Creek wildfire started on April 27. Last week crews created hand-guards where it was safe to do so; however, this wildfire is burning in some challenging steep and rocky terrain. With high temperatures and low relative humidity, the fire passed a threshold late Sunday afternoon and additional personnel responded.

Read more:
Increased activity on Spatsum Creek wildfire (British Columbia)

Forest fires near Petitcodiac and Kedgwick in New Brunswick are burning out of control.

2 homes have been destroyed already and more are at risk.  Evacuations are being conducted are in place to get people to a safer place.

Water bombers and helicopters are fighting the fires.

The Village of Kedgwick is holding a public information session this evening at their Community Hall to brief residents on the forest fire.

There has already been 272 fires in New Brunswick this year. At least 14 fires are currently burning.

Read more from the CBC:
N.B. forest fires force evacuations in 2 communities

Update (9:40PM ADT):

Latest word is that no evacuations were ordered on the Kedgwick area fire.

The fire is 6km from the town of Kedgwick and covers about 50 hectares.  People are being warned to be prepared that they could be evacuated if conditions worsen.

Some people were evacuated due to another fire in the Colpitts Settlement area, about 40 kilometres west of Moncton. Some people living on Middlesex Road, near Colpitts Settlement, and along the Sanitorium Road, were evacuated.

Source: Emergency centre set up due to forest fire (Cape Breton Post)

Updated (Wednesday morning):

The fire near Petitcodiac is about 25% contained. 3 homes have been destroyed. The fire has spread over 500 hectares.

The fire near Kedgwick is about 75 hectares in size and has led to several evacuations.

271 fires in the province this year have been started by man, including 60 just in this past weekend.

Read more:
Petitcodiac, N.B., fire 25% contained (CBC)

Nova Scotia is reducing its number of manned fire towers by more than half this year.

Last year, Nova Scotia staffed 32 fire towers across the province, but this year only 14 will be staffed.

Instead, the province will rely more on air surveillance and public help.

Last year, 89% of forest fire were first reported from calls to 911.

Read more:
Number of fire towers to be reduced by half (CBC)

The British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations’ Wildfire Management Branch is recruiting physically fit, motivated and team-orientated individuals to fill fire crew positions for the 2013 fire season.

Interested candidates can apply until Jan. 24 online through the Wildfire Management Branch website: www.bcwildfire.ca/employment

The job requirements are listed on the website, including details about the recruitment process, preferred qualifications and fitness requirements.

Successful applicants will be assigned to crews in various locations throughout the province and typically will start in May and work until the end of August.

During the course of their employment, crew members not only fight fires throughout B.C., but may also be called upon to assist with fire suppression in other parts of Canada and internationally. Throughout the season, crews will be engaged in a variety of activities and projects, including fuel management, prescribed burning, community work and public awareness campaigns.

All crew members must meet national physical fitness requirements. New crew members receive extensive training in fire behaviour, fire management tactics, fireline equipment use, fireline organization, communications, air operations and orienteering.

The Wildfire Management Branch employs over 1,100 firefighters and specialized personnel, who are widely considered to be among the best wildfire crews in the world.

British Columbia is investing up to $4.74 million on the new firefighting centre in Merritt.

The facility will house an expanded Merritt fire zone office and a new provincial wildfire training centre, and will be used as a strategic operations base for out-of-province firefighters during wildfire season.

With space for up to 58 staff, storage for firefighting and other equipment, as well as three classrooms to support in-the-field training, the facility will enhance firefighting and wildfire monitoring in the Merritt region, one of the busiest fire suppression zones in the province.

The 1,332-square-metre (14,300-square-foot) structure will be built on a lot leased from the City of Merritt near the airport. Construction is due to be completed by April 2013.

Merritt is the largest fire suppression zone in the province with over 70 people working out of the facility. It also has one of the largest workloads, responding to 110 wildfires in the 2012 season.

The Merritt fire zone office is home to five full-time staff and 53 seasonal staff, including fire officers, four three-person initial attack crews and two 20-person sustained action unit crews.  Another 20-person sustained action unit crew, based in Princeton, reports to the Merritt fire zone office.

Learn More: 

BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations: http://www.gov.bc.ca/for
BC Wildfire Management Branch: http://www.bcwildfire.ca

A group of 25 members of the Korean Forest Service have arrived in Salmon Arm, British Columbia to learn wildfire investigation techniques and take advantage of the expertise of B.C.’s Wildfire Management Branch crews.

The visitors are enrolled in a 2 week course called Wildland Fire Investigation: Origin and Cause Determination. Apart from their classroom studies, the students will work in the field at the site of small, controlled fires that were deliberately set and then extinguished by a local fire crew last week near Silver Creek, specifically in preparation for this course.

With the assistance of B.C. firefighters and instructors, the Korean Forest Service crews will learn to determine where the fires started, what caused them and how they spread over the course of the day. They will also be trained to collect evidence that, in the case of a real wildfire, could be used to prosecute whoever started the fire.

British Columbia’s Wildfire Management Branch is a recognized global leader in fire suppression techniques. This is the third year that Korean Forest Service personnel have received training in B.C. These visits provide a valuable opportunity for international co-operation and knowledge exchange.

Source: Government of British Columbia

The Government of British Columbia has leased a 2.176-hectare plot of land from the City of Merritt to construct an expanded Merritt Fire Zone office and training centre for the Wildfire Management Branch.

The new building will be located at 4476 Airport Rd., just south of the Merritt Airport’s runway. This facility will improve the ministry’s firefighting and monitoring capabilities in the Merritt area, one of the largest fire suppression zones in the province. So far this year in the Merritt Fire Zone, the Wildfire Management Branch has responded to 107 fires that covered 653 hectares.

The new training centre will offer classroom instruction and opportunities for recruits to develop firefighting skills in conditions similar to those encountered in the field. The facility will run the annual “boot camp” for new firefighters. Current Wildfire Management Branch emergency response staff will also train at the centre.

Ministry staff have been reviewing a series of conceptual drawings, and a final decision on the building’s architectural design is expected later this fall. It’s anticipated that the new facility will be operational before the 2013 fire season.

The 25-year lease for the Airport Road property was signed on Sept. 21. The government will have an option to renew it for another 25 years.

The Merritt Fire Zone office is home to five full-time staff and 57 seasonal staff, including fire officers, four three-person initial attack crews and two 20-person sustained action unit crews.

Another 20-person sustained action unit crew, based in Princeton, also reports to the Merritt Fire Zone office.

Learn More:

Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations:  http://www.gov.bc.ca/for
Wildfire Management Branch:  http://www.bcwildfire.ca

In recognition of the BC Forest Service’s centennial birthday, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, is honouring B.C.’s wildfire fighting history and increasing local recreation opportunities by restoring forest fire lookouts near five communities around the province.

This year, forest fire lookouts are being restored near:

• Terrace
• Houston
• Enderby
• Kaslo
• Boston Bar

Ministry staff reviewed all restoration opportunities and strategically chose the five projects based on location, accessibility, community use and historical significance.

In addition, six lookouts are being inspected and assessed for possible restoration next year.
The ministry is restoring the lookouts in partnership with local governments, community groups, organizations, businesses, individuals and volunteers.

Forest fire lookouts have been a part of the province’s history for decades and have played an instrumental role in the early detection of wildfires. They were replaced by new technology, improved public reporting and aerial detection. More recently, the lookouts have become important recreational assets for residents and tourists.

There are currently 320 forest fire lookouts locations in British Columbia. Of those, 20 are considered active and required by the Wildfire Management Branch.

Photos of lookouts and restorations: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcgovphotos/sets/72157631613813520/

Learn more about each of the restored look outs

Thornhill lookout, Terrace

Restoration: complete

• The lookout has been restored to the original 1920s structure, complete with fire finder and interpretive signs.
• The lookout will also be used as a warming hut for hikers and snowmobilers.
• The site is on an established recreation trail – one of the most-popular high-elevation hikes in the Terrace area.
• Contributions received from Northwest Community College, Quantum Helicopters, Lake Drive Lumber, Northwest Timberlands, Rotary Club of Terrace, Kinsmen Club of Terrace and McElhanney’s Consulting Services Ltd. as well as numerous individuals.

Nahatlatch lookout, Boston Bar

Restoration: complete

• The restoration included replacement of the entire lookout building, new interpretive signs including information about the restoration process, as well as historic stories from past forest rangers.
• The partnership includes members of the Four Wheel Drive Association of BC, the Southwestern All Terrain Trail, and the Nahatlatch Valley Cabin Owners, who have all contributed greatly to this restoration.
• The location on the west side of the Fraser River will provide new tourism opportunities for the town of Boston Bar.

Buchanan lookout, Kaslo

Restoration: complete

• Set up as a functional lookout complete with fire finder, interpretive signs, kiosks and diorama.
• This site is a popular tourist destination that offers motor vehicle/ATV access.
• Local participation from the Village of Kaslo, the Trailblazers Society, the Kaslo Community Forest, as well as many individual volunteers.

Owen Hill lookout, Houston

Restoration: underway (target completion: mid-October)

• Initial restoration and upgrading of the existing lookout structure has begun.
• The Houston Hikers Society are partners in restoring the lookout and installing new signs.
• The restoration and collaborative effort will be commemorated with a bronze plaque.

Mara Lookout, Enderby

Restoration: Underway (target completion mid-October)

• Initial restoration and upgrading of the existing lookout structure has begun.
• This site is a popular summer and winter recreation destination.
• The key partner for the restoration is the local Kingfisher Historical Society.