Why So Many Interface Fires Lately?

[GordonH]

Sorry to hear that about your street covenant, impo I'd say screw them. This is my single biggest investment (have insurance, but if you maybe keep it from burning in first place all the better), there is metal look alike asphalt shingle roofing.

Dude, even a metal roof would be really tough. I have a hip roof, so the snow would slide off all sides, and my walkway to my front door would be in the line of fire. Insurance would definitely not like the lawsuits coming my way as people get injured from the sliding snow.

Well either stick with asphalt shingles or build covered walkway with same pitch as your roof.

[Because_They_Lie]

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[tsayta]

As expected, a long term build up of fuel due partly to suppression is part of the issue:

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/201404 ... n-is-worse

Who is buying into this "reason"?

Me

[Hurtlander]

100 Mile is almost all Douglas Fir.

That's not exactly true, there's lots of bug killed lodge pole pine all around 100 Mile House. I've spent countless hours fishing the lakes in the 100 Mile area looking at all the dead pine.

[Glacier]

100 Mile is almost all Douglas Fir.

That's not exactly true, there's lots of bug killed lodge pole pine all around 100 Mile House. I've spent countless hours fishing the lakes in the 100 Mile area looking at all the dead pine.

You're absolutely right. I used to live there. I'm thinking in the town itself, and north toward 108 and Williams Lake. The south is mostly pine because it's over 3500 ft.

[UhHuhYeahSure]

Boy...where do I start?

1. BC's population has doubled in the past 40 years. There are more people, many of whom, like me, have built homes with views of trees and not the neighbour's vinyl siding and his gut hanging over a Speedo at the BBQ.

2. Since 2003 and the drama of the Kelowna fire, the media has been all over the subject and put it top priority every season. Even Castanet was springboarded to prominence because of their coverage of the fire. If there is a fire anywhere, Global TV will have "Breaking News". Forest fires...oh, excuse me...WILDfires are the favourate media flavour of the era.

3. Forests have not been allowed to burn in BC for the past +50 years. The government has made an empire out of fighting WILDfires, replacing the harvesting industry that has slowly dried up. There is more fuel in the bush than ever before. Good luck in trying to stop a fire once it takes hold. And if it's near a town and a house or trailer is lost, then it becomes an "interface fire".

4. The term interface fire gained it's popularity in the 2003 fire. It is now a catchword for...the edge of town. Every town has an edge, even North and West Vancouver. But think about it. Was Crawford Estates really an interface fire? Or just a multi dwelling residential fire. Kaledon? WILDfire or residential fire gone bad with high winds? Just 'cuz you have trees in your yard does not make it a WILDfire.

5. It's all about semantics and media coverage. If the media stopped covering WILDfires and "Fleeing the flames" and the "battle against the inferno" and stopped sticking cameras in the faces of teary eyed evacuees, we'd not think twice about it. It's estimated that almost every week someone does a swan dive from a bridge in the lower mainland or hops in front of and not into the Skytrain. There is a gentleman's(person's?) agreement in the media not to report it (it might make it as a "police incident"). If they were reported, we'd have an epidemic of suicides according to the media with lots of government types ready to spend millions building a career solving it.

6. Unlike other countries with a healthy mix of forest and urban environments, much effort is made to create and maintain fireguards and thinned bush around towns. But it's not the same here. We would never hold a parade to honor crews who cut down trees. But we should.

[youjustcomplain]

As expected, a long term build up of fuel due partly to suppression is part of the issue:

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/201404 ... n-is-worse

Who is buying into this "reason"?

That is the reason. Everyone should be buying into it. Why do you think it's incorrect?

Fact is, forest fires are a natural part of our ecosystem. The lightning caused fires remove the dead trees and burn the forest floor with excellent efficiency. It allows for regrowth which is healthy. Problem is, because we have spread ourselves into the forest, the province has to put these fires out. Whether cause by humans or not, those fires must be put out. So we end up with large areas of dead or dried out trees and large areas of the forest floor with plenty of flammable shrubs and grasses. Fire spreads quickly through these areas.

Why do we keep losing structures is a separate question. It's partially answered in my first paragraph, but also that people don't put enough effort into fire prevention on their property. Do you have tall yellow weeds and grasses growing up against your house? Do you have tree's very close to your house? Do you have stacked lumber against your house? Is your roof and gutter full of pine needles and leaves?
When a forest fire is burning near your house, it only takes one spark, or just the basic ground crawling fire to ignite your house if you have anything near it that is flammable. It's amazing really when you look at neighborhoods ravaged by an interface fire. You often see a property that was completely untouched. Look closely. Did they have a fire load near the house? Was the lawn taken care of? Is the roof clean? Any one fuel source is enough to take the entire property.

[Glacier]

UhHuhYeahSure (Osama), good to see you back in these parts. Good post.

[Queen K]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/4304161 ... cation=ufi

Facebook group trying to help each other. Didn't know where to post it.

[Because_They_Lie]

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[Queen K]

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#201965

A Federal Fire committee to help out!

[Grandan]

As expected, a long term build up of fuel due partly to suppression is part of the issue:

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/201404 ... n-is-worse

Who is buying into this "reason"?

That is the reason. Everyone should be buying into it. Why do you think it's incorrect?

Fact is, forest fires are a natural part of our ecosystem. The lightning caused fires remove the dead trees and burn the forest floor with excellent efficiency. It allows for regrowth which is healthy. Problem is, because we have spread ourselves into the forest, the province has to put these fires out. Whether cause by humans or not, those fires must be put out. So we end up with large areas of dead or dried out trees and large areas of the forest floor with plenty of flammable shrubs and grasses. Fire spreads quickly through these areas.

Why do we keep losing structures is a separate question. It's partially answered in my first paragraph, but also that people don't put enough effort into fire prevention on their property. Do you have tall yellow weeds and grasses growing up against your house? Do you have tree's very close to your house? Do you have stacked lumber against your house? Is your roof and gutter full of pine needles and leaves?
When a forest fire is burning near your house, it only takes one spark, or just the basic ground crawling fire to ignite your house if you have anything near it that is flammable. It's amazing really when you look at neighborhoods ravaged by an interface fire. You often see a property that was completely untouched. Look closely. Did they have a fire load near the house? Was the lawn taken care of? Is the roof clean? Any one fuel source is enough to take the entire property.

This looks like a classic case of failure to take action to prevent the spread of fire. https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#201959
It is little wonder that fire took hold in that mess.

[tsayta]

Actually those owners are not allowed to touch that area due to the legal do not disturb covenant

[Grandan]

Actually those owners are not allowed to touch that area due to the legal do not disturb covenant

Well maybe that issue needs to be revisited, seems counter productive to not give people the means to protect themselves from fire or worse, provide a fire path to the neighbours house.

[tsayta]

Actually those owners are not allowed to touch that area due to the legal do not disturb covenant

Well maybe that issue needs to be revisited, seems counter productive to not give people the means to protect themselves from fire or worse, provide a fire path to the neighbours house.

Agree 100%