Kyle Young's FireSmart Story - BCWS Incident Commander from FireSmartBC on Vimeo.
Monday, May 30, 2022
Friday, May 27, 2022
FireSmart BC ask BC residents to prepare for wildfire now - BC News
FireSmart BC ask BC residents to prepare for wildfire now - BC News: FireSmart BC and Emergency Preparedness BC are calling on B.C. residents to start preparing for wildfire.
Thursday, May 26, 2022
Wednesday, May 25, 2022
Press Release
Mount Baldy Community Launches FireSmart Initiative
Mount Baldy Village consists of 156 properties with 108
dwellings built, with approximately 40 full-time residents. It is a separate
entity from Mount Baldy Resort that operates the ski hill.
During the evacuation of the residents with the Nk’mip fire
threat in 2021 the professional firefighters who arrived to protect the
Village, commented that there was very little evidence of reduction of fuel
loads and fire danger in the community. The formation of a FireSmart Board and
the subsequent Mt Baldy Wildfire Protection Strategy and Plan was developed as
a start in a FireSmart process that will be ongoing.
On May 21 & 22 the community of Mount Baldy held an inaugural
Fire Smart event as the start of becoming a Fire Smart community, with 64
property owners attending the Saturday morning information meeting.
RDKB Emergency Management Co-ordinator Carlene Pires
presented an introduction to FireSmart. including the basic guidelines of how
to create a FireSmart community and how the Regional District will be able to
help.
Doug MacLeod, a Supervisor on the Nk’mip fire, and a
Certified FireSmart Assessor reminded us how close we came to losing everything
as the fire of 2021 came within 2.7 km of the Village. He outlined steps that
could be taken to reduce community vulnerability and led a walkabout with
residents identifying some of the work that needs to be done to improve the likelihood
of survival, both on vacant and built lots.
The Regional-District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) staff and
Area E elected official Vicki Gee have been very supportive. Vicki congratulated
the community for enthusiastic participation and pledged on-going support.
Although there was still a lot of snow on the ground, much
work took place including some tree removal, pruning branches from trees up to
the recommended 3m height and clean up of flammables next to cabins.
The sun came out for the BBQ on Sunday afternoon celebrating
the initiation of FireSmart work and commitment to much more taking place over
the spring.
The community thanks all the folks who helped get this project
started and looks forward to continued progress in strengthening the fire
resiliency of the community over the next few years.
For the Mount Baldy Fire Smart Board – Rod MacLeod 604 902
4540
Tuesday, May 24, 2022
Monday, May 23, 2022
Firesmart Info Slides
By now the slides may be lost in your inbox, but if you want to review them, they now have a page with a tab above. Some of the content is from Firesmart, and some of the content has been put together with photos , the 2019 assessment report, and an adaptation of guidelines to get us started in the Firesmart process. You can open the images with your computer if they are too small for you to read.
Thanks to Firesmart Board member Carol Brien for putting these together.
Event Follow Up
Thanks to volunteers, Bernice's smart shopping, and the generosity of Penny Burnett and Brad, the total cost for the event was covered by the $500 Firesmart Canada grant. Thank-you Brandan for making the BMR facility available for the event.
Sunday, May 22, 2022
Great Barbeque - More than 80 people fed.
Thank-you Bernice for your smart shopping and organization, and all the time you and Frank put in to this.
Thank-you Penny Burnett for your generous donation of burgers - they tasted great.
Brad - great work in the kitchen and on the grill, and for all of your help. We couldn't have done it without you.
Thanks to all the volunteers who helped with set up and clean-up.
The sun actually came out so many were able to eat outside.
The Shrike Hill Fire - Close Calls
As a veteran wildfire specialist, Doug MacLeod has consistently done follow ups to fires he has been involved in to share the lessons learned.
This video was prepared for a conference of wildfire personnel, and openly shared with us and anyone else who can benefit from the lessons learned.
It is about 35 minutes, but well worth your time to watch it, and hear about the dangers of staying, and extreme fire behaviour.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IrXBPsVPq86GcprW3KGOvw4dsB_R964q/view
Thanks Doug for everything yesterday, and sharing this video.
Saturday, May 21, 2022
2021 Shrike Firesmart and Baldy Close Call
I have a lot of video to edit and discuss with the committee as to what platform we will share it with.
This excerpt of Doug MacLeod's presentation catches what saved the Shrike Hill homes, and how close we were to losing everything last summer.
firesmartbc.ca
firesmartbc.ca Is a tremendous source of information on all things Firesmart. We had a limited supply of handouts, but all of those booklets are downloadable from the site.
Three Things - these stuck out for me.........
Doug's comments on how close we came to losing everything last summer.
It is important to have a whole of community approach. Our properties affect our neighbours.
From emergency management - a point I've relayed before - if structural protection comes in and you have done a lot of work on your property, they will try and save your place. If you have done nothing, they will by pass your place and save one that has had the effort put in to it.
Wow - Great Participation
Thank-you to everyone who contributed to this morning's Firesmart Education session, and to all those who attended.
Vicki Gee RDKB
Carlene Pires RDKB Emergency Management
Doug MacLeod Wildfire Specialist and Firesmart Assessor
Ryan Gow, BC Wildfire Service
Baldy Firesmart Board, Registration Volunteer Janine Fraser, and very helpful BMR guy, Brad.
I haven't completed the tally of the sign in sheet, but it looks like we had close to 60 owners, 3 BMR staff, representing 36 properties.
Photos from the walkabout after the info session.
If anyone is interested in taking an S100 Basic Wildfire and Safety Awareness course, the sign up sheet will be in the lobby of the lodge Sunday during the Barbeque.
If you missed signing up for having Doug do an assessment of your property, e-mail me, and I can get you in touch with Doug.
I did video the presentations, and will post next week how you can access them.
Thursday, May 19, 2022
Saturday Morning - Please bring a mask
You know I rarely get out for first chair. I will however be at the lodge by 8:30am on Saturday with my fellow Firesmart Committee members.
Coffee will be on, and there are a couple of things for you to do on your way in.
Sign a registration sheet, and write your name on a sticky name tag.
(tags are premade for strata council, and guests)
Door prize tickets will be handed out for some cool Firesmart swag.
There are also pamphlets from Fortis.
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Sign of spring
These bulbs produced large daffodils at my cousin's house in Delta - they keep coming up each year, but they don't grow very tall.
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
That is a load..........
If you still have old pines, and haven't raked regularly, you could have a carpet of fuel on your property. The owners of this property contracted a local couple to augment the work they had started. The couple will be at the barbeque Sunday.
Progress Photos
Consider taking a before and after photo of your property this weekend. Submitted photos will be featured here to show our friends and neighbours the start of fuel reduction in the village.
First photo from September 5, 2021 - trees close to house were within range of the roof sprinkler, but there is only so much water. I had South Okanagan Tree Works up later last fall to remove a number of trees close to the house. I still have some more to remove at the back, and some to space.
Yes, I liked some of those trees, but I'd rather save my home.
Backcountry road closures still in place around sites of last summer's major fires - BC News
Backcountry road closures still in place around sites of last summer's major fires - BC News: Wildfire-related backcountry road closures from last summer will remain in place for this fire season.
Map is easier to read if you follow the link.
Litter and Things
Thanks to whoever picked up after their dog yesterday with a dark green bag - the bag is in the middle of the road by the water building.
The snow has almost gone from the garbage transfer station. I you have a garbage pick-up tool, please bring it. Many hands will clean up the transfer station area quickly. I've been bugging the same people to help for years, and some new faces would be welcome.
When garbage is left in the winter with the lids not tightly closed, wind and animals get it, then the snow blower spreads it around.
When you take a walk in the village, please take a bag with you - the couple who usually clean the ditches aren't around.
If you head to the Hut or the Frisbee Golf Course, please take a garbage bag with you.
FYI - two volunteers walked 5 km on McKinney Road (lower down) recently and filled 2 garbage bags with beer cans.
Monday, May 16, 2022
Monday Update
It is actually dry at the moment, and work has started on prepping to remove the required chairs for NDT, part of the annual maintenance program.
Sunday, May 15, 2022
South Okanagan student convinces province to install new horse crossing signs - Penticton News
South Okanagan student convinces province to install new horse crossing signs - Penticton News: A Grade 6 student in the South Okanagan has successfully lobbied the provincial government to install new feral crossing signs on roadways in Oliver.
Heads up - some horses are hanging around at a higher elevation than they usually do.
Sunday
Nothing worth taking a photo of today. On the plus side, mother nature is washing the mud off my trailer. On the Firesmart front - as long as it stays cool, I won't have much firewood to move away from the cabin for the summer.
Are you on the BMR Newsletter mailing list?
New edition out today - details on draw for ski or snowboard from Seasons in Grand Forks for purchasers of early bird season passes..........and more.
Saturday, May 14, 2022
Friday, May 13, 2022
Along the way to town......
A few changes since I last went to town. The garbage near the staff shack has been cleaned up.
It looks like salvage log hauling is about to ramp up, with new stop signs where FSRs meet McKinney Road, and many new logging truck crossing signs,
There is a mushroom buyer sign down near Shrike Hill, and several vehicles parked beside the burn.
When I see Balsamroot, I always think of Nanna Smith. My grandparents stopped at the roadside on their way from the coast, and brought a bouquet of these flowers. The bouquet and Nanna were covered with ticks.
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Fortis article on keeping the power going during last year's fire..........
And of course it is a small world, Construction Manager Brandon Vatne is the great-grandson of a Fairweather - she was a first cousin of the Fairweather for whom the ski run is named.
Climate Action Plan
https://jointheconversation.rdkb.com/climate-action-plan
Subscribe to West Boundary Connect for all the latest area info. Link on sidebar.
Chainsaw Safety
Many of us think we know what we are doing with a chainsaw, but how many people do you see in the village that are wearing the proper safety gear? A recent flyer had Stihl chainsaw chaps at $109.00. You can get hard hats with face shield and hearing protection in a range of quality and pricing.
If you are planning to have a pro drop your trees, and you plan to cut the firewood yourself, think about it.
We don't have resident paramedics anymore, and the hospital is a bit of a drive.
One local skilled chainsaw operator had always just worn jeans, and never had a problem. He tried chaps for the first time last year - and they saved him from serious injury to his leg.
Tree Removal
I had left some nice trees fairly close to the cabin thinking that my roof sprinkler would cover them, What I hadn't factored in was the amount of water available, and that the roof sprinkler would not likely be turned on. In September, after the fire, I took down some big trees that I liked, but were too close to the cabin.
Fortis: https://www.fortisbc.com/safety-outages/electricity-safety/power-line-safety#tab-2
Fortis has expressed concern about safety with homeowners dropping trees near power lines. Hire a pro, and consider having Fortis disconnect your service prior to falling risky trees.
Wednesday, May 11, 2022
Now here is a blast from the past..............
Hilary started sending me old photos this week - I don't even remember doing this. The photo was marked 2002, but Lynn and I think it was much earlier than that - possibly as early as 1993. Marge was a persuasive organizer. We were singing "On Top of Old Baldy." The 1984 version is at the back of the 25th Anniversary book - I think I have a newer version somewhere.
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Left to right. Lynn Varga, Ethel Jones, Sue Webster, Marge MacLeod, Jill - Lynn's friend from Victoria, Melva and that's me with the guitar. Only a hunch, but I seem to recall Liam Dennill's hair being cut similar to the back of the head in the audience. Wayne?
Skyline?
Michael, Rod, John? Is this photo taken at Skyline?
This photo was in a batch sent to me by family recently - I learned to ski at Borderline, but I did go to watch my cousins ski at Skyline, the area at the summit where locals skied before Borderline. This terrain doesn't look like Borderline to me - can any of you confirm the location?
Nothing confirmed yet as to cause of blaze at Penticton Toyota - Penticton News
Wow - large fairly new service facility.
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Monday, May 9, 2022
Police Activity
BBC posted on the cabin owner's page, that there has been significant RCMP activity in the area - appearing to be focused on the Alden Road area.
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