Canada Day Fireworks

Estimates indicate there could be up to 50,000 people in Osoyoos for the fireworks on Canada Day. I'd love to see them, but crowds are not my thing.

I do know that if I leave a window open at night, I will hear them, and see flashes of light from the other side of the mountain. Photos from 2009.

Opening July 1st

Summer Operations on July 1st. Barbeque lunch, beach volleyball, chair rides up, walk down.

BMR is in the process of getting downloading approved for the Sugar Lump Chair so guests can ride the chair both ways, but that will not be in place this weekend.

The trail crew has been removing debris from runs so the walk down will be easier than last summer.

Lift tickets can be purchased from Brad at the BBQ.

Cherry "Fiesta"

When I was in the marching band, and Baldy had floats in the parade, it was the "Cherry Carnival."

Photos courtesy of Hulton and Fairweather family albums.

 

Activity Today

Leitner-Poma here, Technical Safety BC here, and load test happening on the Sugar Lump. Humans replaced by garbage cans full of water.

The RDKB Driver will not be pleased........looks like we had another Sunday drop off from down the road

 

Anyone heading to Rock Creek soon with an empty truck? The Rock Creek Transfer Station is a MARR depot for large appliances - looks like a charge of $9.50 each for the air conditioner and 2 fridges. The barbeques will probably go with the scrap metal. I'll chip in toward the fee to get this cleaned up. Almost all the ground is dry enough for a transfer station work party one day soon.

Banff Sunshine Village to open to skiers, snowboarders and hikers on Canada Day - Canada News

Banff Sunshine Village to open to skiers, snowboarders and hikers on Canada Day - Canada News: A lingering winter snowpack in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains means skiers and snowboarders can spend this week — including Canada Day — on the slopes.

Another warm day - lots of FireSmart activity

 

I talked to the owners of one slope side cabin  - happy with their contractor putting metal siding on their cabin.

Unsupervised Calves...........

Calves wandering around the pavement on the corner below 13km  McKinney Road. Cows are farther up the hill applying their special formulation of dust control.

Airtanker Training

 

Heads Up - Area to Avoid- Fresh Deer Kill

"There is a freshly killed deer carcass in the woods that are on skiers left of the Divi-Pondo outrun, about halfway down from Pondo. 

Folks should avoid this area for a few days, especially with a dog. "

Thanks to the dog owner who reported this. You have a challenge ahead of you as your dog will not forget what he found!

Category 3 Fire Ban June 30th

 

Category 3 burning to be prohibited in the Southeast Fire Centre 6/23/2022 11:02 AM CASTLEGAR - Effective at noon on Thursday, June 30, 2022, Category 3 open burning, as defined in the Wildfire Regulation, will be prohibited throughout the Southeast Fire Centre, which includes the Rocky Mountain Natural Resource District and the Selkirk Natural Resource District. The BC Wildfire Service is implementing this prohibition to help prevent wildfires caused by Category 3 burning and to protect public safety. A map indicating the areas affected by this prohibition is available online: http://ow.ly/CQoN50JE94t This prohibition will remain in place until the public is otherwise notified. Specifically, prohibited activities that would constitute a Category 3 open fire include: any fire larger than two metres high by three metres wide, three or more concurrently burning piles no larger than two metres high by three metres wide, burning of one or more windrows, and burning of stubble or grass over an area greater than 0.2 hecatres. Anyone conducting a Category 3 fire anywhere in the Southeast Fire Centre's jurisdiction must extinguish it by noon on the Thursday, June 30, 2022 deadline. This prohibition will remain in place until the public is otherwise notified. This prohibition apply to all public and private land, unless specified otherwise (e.g., in a local government bylaw). Check with local government authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire. Anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs. The Southeast Fire Centre would like to thank the public for its continuing help in preventing wildfires. To report a wildfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to: bcwildfire.ca Follow the latest wildfire news: Download the free BC Wildfire Service public mobile app, available for Apple (iOS) and Android devices Twitter: twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo Facebook: facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo Contact: Fire Information Officer BC Wildfire Service Southeast Fire Centre 250 318-7715   Fire Centre Bulletin 3596

Chip Disposal

BMR will take any chips  - unload by the sign ( soon to be installed)  near the lodge  that points to Sage Meadows. This is a short haul for tree contractors who chip, and reduces the amount accumulating at the burn pile.

Chips will be used on trail building.

If you aren't sure about the drop off point, talk to Brandan or one of the other guys working outside.

Bulbs - Stick them in the ground and ignore them - they will last for years

Bloom time any time from June to August.........Iain's are looking great, the ones Terry planted are blooming, and Lana's are blooming spaced along the property. Even the one I had rescued from the snow is standing up again. (drive by photos)

Open the e-mail

Strata owners - you likely just received an e-mail from the property management firm. Open it - it is not a bill, it is a FireSmart update with info you want to know including brush pick up.

Contractor chipping

MTC was chipping here today - may not have done all that was planned as a second truck was towed from near town.

Shrike Hill Firesmart

Lots of activity this spring in the Shrike Hill area. Harvey, Neil, Kyle and others know how bad things can get. This shot is just below Neil and Kim's house where trees have been spaced, and ground and ladder fuels removed.

Getting ready for summer ops.........

Brandan, Chris and Parker

Parker is an electrician working for BMR. He has lots of residential experience for those small jobs you want done on his time off.

 

Focus on something else........

I stopped at the Oliver Detachment today with my photo collection and notes. Turns out that the first notification they had about the Focus was not from the public, it was from Highways - and they said they would get it removed because it was on the road.

The admin person told me she would call back the person who told them they would remove it.

It's gone now. There was a tow truck on the McCuddy Creek bypass with a Millar Tree Care Truck on the deck, and car behind. .

Solstice - on the calendar anyways...........

 Summer solstice 2022 in Northern Hemisphere will be at 2:13 a.m. on

Tuesday

, 

June 21

Hold Off on the Burn Pile

Spring ignitions can come back to life at anytime.  This is an important part of our community Firesmart program, we don't want to lose it.  Please hold off taking any more material. Most of the new material is not right beside this. I have been in touch with Michael and there is a plan to address this - will keep you posted.

Better source of flagging tape

Prior to our event, I posted where I had picked up some flagging tape. I have found a better price at ACE Hardware in Oliver. More per roll, I think it was around $2.50 a roll, but will double check - they are in the truck. Back corner of ACE.

Updates and Clarification from our Firesmart Assessor Doug

 Hi folks

 Hope you are making the best of the wet June. What a difference a year makes. Thanks again for your diligence in reducing the wildfire risk to your cabins and to the community at Baldy. 

I have been getting some phone calls and emails so want to clarify my recommendations.

As well I want to update the most common issues identified in the assessments completed so far.   

I conducted my assessments on the assumption that most people have limited resources to put into their cabin and that you want to maintain as many trees as possible. My recommendations were made with the intent of helping you focus your efforts on work that will provide the most protection to the cabins. 

You may want to achieve the full Firesmart standards immediately. Let me know and I will help you with a plan. 

Common Issues in order of importance

Cabins: 

1. Establish a minimum of 15 cm non-combustible vertical clearance from ground and/or porch surface to bottom of siding around the entire cabin, as well as additions and porches.

2. Research and install solid non-combustible decking and remove combustible material stored/accumulated under the deck. Option is to enclose this area under the deck to reduce the chance of embers igniting anything stored there. 

3. Improve firewood storage to reduce chance of ignition. Options= Move it away from cabins in fire season, cover it with fireproof tarps, construct storage to Firesmart guidelines away from the cabin or enclose existing storage to Firesmart guidelines. 

4. Repair or replace combustible siding.

5. Close in eaves and soffits.

6. Check that all vents are fire rated or screened with 3mm. metal mesh. 

7. Research options to make stairs and walkways fire resistant. 

1.5 m. area around cabins:

1. Rake or scrape a fuel free strip to mineral soil around the entire footprint of the cabin including walkways, stairs, additions and outbuildings. 

2. Move doormats, outdoor furniture and other combustible items inside the house when leaving for any length of time during fire season. 

 1.5m. out from cabin to lot line:

1. Review outbuildings and remove or bring to Firesmart Guidelines

2. Remove all vegetation and clear down to mineral soil a minimum of 3 meters around all large propane tanks.

3. Remove all surface logs and branches.

4. Remove firewood piles and/or construction material or cover with a fireproof tarp and create the 1.5m. fuel free to mineral soil around them. 

5. Keep trees as far away from the cabin as possible (all foliage 3 to 5 meters away) 

   - if keeping a tree within this distance prune to a height where all portions of the lowest branch are at least 2m. above ground and establish a fuel free area down to mineral soil for a 1m. radius around the base of the tree. 

6. Remove all small trees growing under large ones.

    - if keeping these small trees prune to a height that maintains 50% crown and establish a fuel free area down to mineral soil for a 1m. radius around the base. 

7. Remove all dead standing trees.

8. Space mature trees to an inter-tree distance that maintains crown closure (ie: the tips of the branches of adjoining trees just touch) and prune to a height where all portions of the lowest branch are at least 2m. above ground. 

We are researching the solid, fire resistant decking options and fire proof tarps. Will keep you posted. 

Other common problems are empty lots with heavy fuel loads and neighbors that aren't doing any Firesmart work. We are working on this. Again, be aware that the Strata Council is looking at creating a Firesmart by-law. 

Don't get overwhelmed by the work. Anything you do improves the resiliency of your cabin. Start at the house and work out as time, money and energy permit. 

Call anytime.

 

Doug MacLeod

250-499-1075

 

 

Busy Brothers and Crew

 

"Mossies"

For those of you who are new to Baldy in the summer, the mosquitos are usually bad for a couple of weeks. They can lay an incredible amount of eggs in a small amount of water, so empty anything in your yard that has a puddle in it. They are worse in the shade.

I have a "Thermacell" unit that clips to the belt and works fairly well. The pads are impregnated with an insecticide derived from Chrysanthemums.

Yesterday, I did some research after seeing a chart on Castanet. Mosquitos apparently don't like the smell of basil, and ticks don't like rosemary.

An observation of mine..........they like city blood.

Ratchet Strap

If you picked up a ratchet strap yesterday around 11:00 between Whiskey Jack and the burn pile, it is mine. Orange strap, new red ratchet.

Yards being cleaned up...........

The fellow who has already filled two loads like this didn't want to be in the photo. 

 Whoever did this today was gone for the day when we went by.

June Hail

Well worth watching - presentation from the conference that Doug and Carlene attended

 https://vimeo.com/707123383/3dc71e9304?embedded=true&source=vimeo_logo&owner=93909388

HIZ - home ignition zone - 30m from the home. What we do on our properties affects our neighbours.

May 21st Wildfire Awareness - Education Day

As promised, the education day presentations were recorded for those of you who were unable to attend. What I learned about my camera that day was that the video mode will cut out at close to 12 minutes, so there are a few hiccups where I didn't hit the reset fast enough. The videos have been separated into three segments, but there wasn't much content I could remove to make them shorter.

Doug's video is the full length - more info than the short clip at the top of the blog.

Carlene's presentation is worth the hour to watch it.

Vicki Gee's remarks are a short video.

Doug MacLeod presentation

https://youtu.be/4KFFHkSny5w

Carlene Pires RDKB – Carlene’s video includes the Q & A after her presentation.

https://youtu.be/fFbdpMxiKis

Vicki Gee RDKB

https://youtu.be/P7O0D93tp8E

To review the Firesmart slides that have been sent out so far:

https://skibaldy.blogspot.com/p/firesmart-slides.html

As you will see in the videos – it takes a community working together.

 

Access the Lytton Report Here

https://firesmartbc.ca/research/?fbclid=IwAR2a9XLce7hfo00--DeIN7x7Muurdd0EG95fhfHFMPq1K2n7JQb59fmEToU 

Abandoned Vehicles

Yes the Ford Focus is still on the road near 31km. Plates gone now, and some other vandalism. Arrived there sometime after I left here on May 29th. Sources say it has been there at least 2 weeks. There was a note in the window that mentioned coming back in a couple of days. I left a message on the Oliver RCMP answering machine yesterday afternoon and told them I have the VIN #. I didn't get a call back, and it is still there. Oliver Detachment busy in recent days with serious crimes.

This one is still there, after at least three years .The spray paint that the RCMP put on the roof one summer has washed off now. Has been vandalized since the original discovery. (between 30 and 31k)

I stopped to see if the van was still at the bottom of the bank - on it's wheels - probably sitting there for 5 years or so. I couldn't see the van, but saw another vehicle that went over more recently than the van.

The Okanagan Forest Task Force out of Kelowna is regularly cleaning up vehicles and other garbage in the bush. They have a protocol checking with police and conservation, then they organize a volunteer clean-up.

This one in particular would be an expensive recovery. The documents about responsibility for abandoned vehicles are as clear as mud. Police are interested if there is a crime associated - highways not interested if not on the road - Forestry? Environment? I wrote to highways and forestry about the black SUV years ago, and did not get a reply.

Remember the newer dark coloured pick-up that we all drove by for days on the snow bank before the corner in the canyon last winter? When someone did take the time to report it - it was stolen.

The former detachment commander told me it is important to report stuff in "real time". That was the summer he thanked me for finding and reporting 3 stolen vehicles.

The one that really had me shaking my head was the pick-up clearly marked with a lower mainland business - I saw it when it was left in the open - called the number on the truck, then the RCMP. Then I found out that others had seen the truck in the area for some time, and had not done anything about it.

Tuesday

 

Lots of logging truck activity.

Cropped out my hand holding it up after I lifted it out of the snow.

It is snowing..........because

• the snowshoe rabbits have already turned brown
• the daffodils are in bloom
• I told a contractor last night that it would not be  - and it wasn't at 6:30am

Fire Danger Ratings Explained

 

Sometimes it is good to get out of here..............

Rockhounder's Rendezvous in Coombs, family in Delta and Campbell River. The weather wasn't great, but nice change from watching the snow melt. Great deal on the Ferry, gas pulling the trailer, not so much. 

If you are interested in rock, (Sage), there are more photos here:    https://pentictongeologyandlapidary.blogspot.com/

                                                                            

Hey, when you are camping, and volunteers are serving the meal, you take it as it comes.  

 

BC Wildfire App

 https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020FLNR0025-000815 

Screen shots from Doug - Grizzly Ext is the weather station that is similar to Baldy conditions.

Tarps to Look At

Thanks Charm for the links:

 

It looks like this is the fire standard they use in the U.S.

 NFPA-701 Method II & BFD 1X-1 fire retardant standards. 

 

https://www.mactsllc.com/products/strong-man-econo2030-econo-construction-tarp-white-polyethylene-fire-retardant-20x30

https://www.mytarp.com/products/sigman-10-x-10-flame-retardant-tarp-18-oz-vinyl-laminated-polyester?variant=9662344069156

 

https://www.tarpsplus.com/collections/silver-fire-retardant-tarps/products/silver-fire-retardant-tarps-10-x-10

The tarp I have:

http://www.kotap.com/product/fire-retardant-white-poly-tarp/

I bought mine from Amazon

Deck Coatings

Here are links to two of the deck coatings I have been looking at - I have not finished my research, but go ahead and have a look for yourself.

https://www.firefree.com/fire-retardant-fire-resistant-paint-products/ffw-wildfire-system.php#  

https://dri-one.com/

The advice I have received on dri-one is to remove the finish on my treated deck, and see if water will penetrate the pressure treated wood. If it does, then they recommend I use it. It is primarily recommended for new wood.

Propane Tanks and Fire - Link provided by Doug - Propane 101

 https://www.propane101.com/propaneandwildfires.htm#:~:text=Ensuring%20that%20the%20tank%20is,as%20fuel%20for%20a%20fire  

Firesmart Assessments and Tips

Update from Doug:

I have completed about 20 Fire smart Home Assessments. We have a chore ahead of us but anything that gets done increases the chance of success. It is great to see the amount of work that has been done and is getting done. 

There are several issues common to most of the cabins. Any chance of developing a Firesmart Forum on your blog for people to post problems to see if others have come up with solutions?

The main common issues so far are:

1. Best way to achieve the 15 cm non-combustible clearance at the base of walls (ground and decks)

2. Best way to seal gaps in decking surface and/or install non-combustible decking surface. 

3. Best way to protect wood piles.

4. Best way to close in under decks and walkways. 

 

Brian Harker has a product on his deck that is water-proof and non-combustible.

Dick Smith has sourced fire proof tarps for wood piles.

Editor note:

* I will be working on a "forum" on this page - yes there is Facebook, but many owners are not on Facebook. Dick and I have been comparing notes on fire resistant tarps, and I will post that info in the next few days. I do have one here if someone wants to have a look.

I am also continuing my research on deck products.

Congratulations JD on removing 26 years of accumulation from under your deck - every bit helps!

 

It's Baldy - We Look Out for Each Other

I have been building a relationship with my new four legged neighbour since the family moved up full time. Bentley has never been in my cabin. It's Grad at BCSS today, so he has been home alone. You can imagine my surprise when the thunder started - he opened the basement door and walked right in!

Now he is lying behind my chair snoring........

Reminds me of the olden days when Rocko would pick a cabin to hang out in while D & S were in town. We had a heck of a time waking him and trying to get him out the door when we heard the car coming.

 

Choosing a Contractor - Something to think about

Choosing a Contractor:

Hire professionals to prune trees near power lines

·         Only trained professionals should trim trees around power lines. Untrained individuals have been seriously injured – and even killed, in some cases – when they attempted to do this work themselves. When having your trees trimmed or removed, you can arrange to have your power temporarily disconnected or wires temporarily removed by calling us at 1-866-436-7847. In most cases, there is no charge for this service.

·         https://www.fortisbc.com/safety-outages/electricity-safety/power-line-safety#tab-2

Are their workers insured?

Request a clearance letter from Worksafe that will tell you if the contractor is registered and up to date on payments.   https://asmtclr.online.worksafebc.com/Default.aspx?_ga=2.6696370.1610048639.1654977519-262372972.1619472853

What insurance does the contractor carry, and do they have a certified Arborist?

Fortis has concerns about who falls trees that are within 2 tree lengths of any power lines. It is reasonable to ask your contractor to have their insurance company send you a certificate of insurance, and the contractor to send you a copy of an arborist certification.

Yes, insured, fully qualified and equipped contractors cost more, but an uninsured incident is way more expensive.

Fire Departments Seem to Have More Influence

 Both AMFD and Big White FD had visits from Ember.

Busy Village Today

Many owners working on clean-up, some trees coming down, and some Firesmart Assessments happening.

Doug and Brian discussing the to do list for Brian's ongoing Firesmart work.

Some trees coming down and limbing happening on Cougar.