A crew of Ladysmith firefighters are travelling to B.C.’s Interior to provide support for firefighting efforts there.
Matthew Rickett, Chad Arsenault and Keenan Pringle set off to the northern village of Burns Lake on Monday, July 10, to aid wildfire-suppression efforts in the area.
According to Emergency Info B.C., a 350-hectare fire is raging east of the village and dozens of houses have already been evacuated in the area.
READ ALSO: Wildfires spark evacuations in multiple northern B.C. locations
Ladysmith Fire Chief Chris Geiger said the crew of three will be at Burns Lake for 14 days providing support such as structure protection and area patrols using the department’s Type 6 wildland engine, a truck mostly used in wildfire situations.
After the two weeks in Burns Lake, the Ladysmith crew will return and a second crew is expected to replace them.
The fire chief said although it “should be well-known” now, Vancouver Island residents should continue to be “smart while in the bush” by safely disposing cigarette butts and following campfire bans to avoid sparking wildfires.
“Although we’re in a rainforest, the last few years especially we’ve started to notice we’re still pretty vulnerable,” said Geiger.
He explained the drought continues to make Vancouver Island more susceptible to forest fires; however, he added that collaboration with the FireSmart B.C. program will better support preparedness, mitigation and prevention.
READ ALSO: Campfire ban announced across B.C., water restrictions could soon follow
bailey.seymour@nanaimobulletin.com
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