CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C. – The first weekend of a campfire and beach fire ban in Campbell River was uneventful.
That’s good news to Fire Chief Thomas Doherty.
He said crews were only called to one unattended beach fire after a city-wide ban was put in place.
Overall, Campbell River firefighters responded to 10 incidents since the fire ban was implemented. Four of those were backyard burns, and six were beach fires.
Doherty said people who had beach fires claimed they were unaware of the ban, or they were using the approved gas firepits which from a distance, is difficult to tell whether or not it is a beach fire.
An approved gas firepit is anything that’s CSA approved.
Doherty believes the message is getting through to Campbell River residents.
“There has been a lot of attention to this leading up to now so a lot of people are being very vigilant and watching out, and a lot of Good Samaritans, if they come across something… we’ve got a few reports of people extinguishing some fires that have been left unattended as well,” he said.
“It’s quite good. The community seems to be doing their part as well. We still have a few calls but again, it’s definitely not where we used to see it in the past.”
A ban on beach fires and campfires usually happens every year, Doherty said.
“Last year the ban went on June 18th, so every year it seems to be getting earlier,” he noted. “We had a little bit of a cool down here in the last couple weeks, a slight sprinkle in Campbell River (on Sunday) but nothing near what we’re going to need to lift that ban.”
The ban will remain in place for the time being. Doherty said Mother Nature will dictate if it is lifted.
“We would certainly need a few days of solid rain,” he said. “Then again we’d be looking at the weather and seeing what the danger ratings are. We’re still in that high-to-extreme area. That is just going to get warmer as we move into summer.”
He said deeper forest fuels aren’t getting the moisture they need, which is heightening the fire risk.
