Open Burning is NOT permitted at this time ... Call 250-545-1195 for information on Campfires ... Please contact the fire department or Fire Dispatch to report violations at 250-469-8577 ... You are responsible for any fires you start ...

We welcome you to become a Paid On Call Firefighter. You must be 18 years or older. If you are 16-17 you can become a Junior Firefighter. If you have taken the firefighting course, we also have a new WEP (Work Experience) Program. Phone our Fire Chief, Wayne Carson at 250-545-1195 for further information.

Office Hours:
Monday thru Friday: 0900 - 1700 Hours

Updates from the Fire Chief

Wayne Carson

REMEMBER YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY FIRE YOU LIGHT

• Mobile Marine Water Supply (MMWS)
• MMWS has arrived in the community pictures have been posted in the Photo Album page. The NWFR will proceed over the next few weeks with breaking in the propulsion and pump engines as well as familiarizing ourselves with the various systems involved in the apparatus operation. Then the training begins to perfect our water delivery so that we can challenge the Fire Underwriters for hydrant certification.
• MMWS successfully passed all its sea trials and pumping tests on February 16 2012. Results were Volume - 2080 GPM @ 100 psi and Pressure - 960 GPM at 275 psi. Delivery to the community is being arranged now.
• The selection committee of the fire department has recommended the Kammi & Blake submission. Permission to purchase this apparatus was given May 30 2011 by the Regional Board (details available on the RDCO Web Site). Delivery date and further details will be available soon through the fire department. Thank-you to the many residents from all areas of the Protection District that went out of their way to support this project your dedication has been rewarded.
• -This long awaited piece of equipment has received unanimous approval by the Board of the Regional District of the Central Okanagan on Friday March 25 2011 With many of the community in attendance the 2011 budget for the fire department was passed this included the funding for the MMWS. Funding for this project came from the 2008 NWFR tax requisition and supplemented by a portion of the moneys paid to NWFR for services rendered to the Province during the 2009 Terrace Mountain Fire. No new money is coming from the 2011 tax requisition. The MMWS is designed to serve the entire community and will be capable of:
• Emergency evacuation escape route by water for firefighters or residents entrapped by fire within the lower subdivisions.
• Water supply for the Structural Protection Unit (SPU) or sprinkler systems deployed to structures during a wildfire threat. Structures within the 300m zone can be fed directly whereas the systems further inland will be supplied by relay tanking and water tenders.
• Fire Underwriters Rated water supply for structural suppression for properties within 300 meters of the shoreline. When the Fintry Water system brings water to Fintry Delta, Upper Fintry, Valley of the Sun and Shalal Road and goes operational that will bring the entire NWFR Fire Protection District to a 3a Dwelling Protection Grade rating. This is the goal of every community that truly appreciates fire safety.
• Water relay to tank farms for tender shuttle to the upper regions of the subdivisions.
• Direct fire suppression for fires on the shoreline, on the lake and Marina fires.
• Marine Rescue / Patient Transport - In 2010 the fire department received calls for both marine rescue type incidents and patient transport. This was without a boat. We expect that a request from either the community to the RDCO or directly from them to mandate NWFR for Marine Rescue. That would make us eligible for funding through the Regional Rescue Program for this service.
• Mutual Aid asset to the rest of the Regional District and Forestry for incidents such as the Terrace Mountain Fire, Seclusion Bay or wildfire structural protection. Many areas in the Wilson's Landing Fire Protection District, our neighbor to the south, are as challenging as our own shoreline also with no rated water systems.
• If you wish further information contact the fire department we would be pleased to explain the direct or in direct benefits of any of the equipment purchased by the NWFR.
• Campfires - A campfire is a small fire measuring 1 meter by 1 meter using dry woody material that puts out very little smoke. (Campfires are subject to the Regional Smoke Control Bylaw #773 therefore requiring adequate venting) Clear an area around the fire down to the mineral soil and put some distance between other combustibles such as buildings, your tent, vehicles, the forest, and your fire. Water and hand tools must be available to help control your fire. The purpose of a campfire is for cooking, warmth and/or ceremonial purposes. You cannot burn garbage or yard waste and the fire must be attended at all times by an adult. Should the wind be strong enough to carry burning embers or sparks from your fire you must put it out! When finished with the fire add water and stir the fire adding more water as you go. You must be able to put your hand into the base of where the fire was without getting burned to ensure that the fire is out. You are responsible for any fire you light. Please be careful and should the fire get away on you call 911 and get the fire department rolling as soon as possible fire spreads very quickly once it gets into the trees.
• Open Burning - A permit is required for all open burns (except campfires - see campfires above for definition) conducted within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan and to be used on a day that meets a minimum standard of air quality and venting. This includes our North Westside Fire Protection District. All fires larger than the 1x1 M size (campfire) require a minimum of 1 hectare or 2.4 acres to qualify for a Permit. Material such as weeds, grass clippings, leaves, needles and cones etc. should never be burned they just cause smoke. This type of material should be bagged and taken to the chip-it bin at the transfer site, there is no charge and it will be disposed of without smoking out your neighbors. The venting index and air quality information required to burn is now available on the new RDCO BURNING INFORMATION HOT-LINE 1-855-262-2876. The minimum allowable venting index is 65 or greater and air quality must be 25 or less. Check the fire department web page www.nwfr.ca or call the hall (545-1195) for more details. You may not burn yard waste in a small fire and call it a campfire as soon as you add yard waste it becomes an open burn and not a campfire and is subject a fine under both the Smoke Control Bylaw 773 and the Fire Prevention Bylaw 1066. As well as the fine you may also be assessed costs for the fire department response at $450.00 per hour per apparatus as explained on the Permit. THERE IS NO COST FOR A PERMIT.
• Fire Underwriters Survey - All five of the water systems within the North Westside Fire Protection District were Flow Tested and Rated in 2008 by CGI an independent company that rates water systems for the big international insurance underwriters. This allows the local insurance companies to determine water supply and fire departments ratings for the purposes of deciding what premium discount you are entitled to on your home insurance. We are still waiting upon the final report that will be publicly disclosed in a community forum when it is finished. In this fire district you will be rated either 3a or 3b depending upon if your area is serviced by a "rated" (minimum 220 Igal. Per minute for 2 hours) water system or not. On the other side of the equation everyone within the fire protection district meets the standard required to get the maximum fire department discount portion on your home insurance premium.
• Community Wildfire Prevention Plan was completed in 2006 and the Regional District has now commissioned another region wide plan and have already met with the fire chief and toured the fire district preliminary results are expected early 2010. This new CWPP is supposed to make specific recommendation for fuel mitigation based upon the information gathered from each fire district. The fire chief can answer any questions you may have. It is our intention to post the entire plan on the Fire Prevention & Education page of this web site. We can now pursue the air curtain burner site to help eliminate the excess material that is accumulating within and around the community.
• 08-10-13 In 2008 RDCO Parks purchased an air curtain burner. In the spirit of both the Filman Report and our own CWPP I urge you to contact the Regional Director for this area (COW) and urge him/her to support the CWPP and get the RDCO burner out here under the supervision/operation of the fire department to provide a fuel reduction option to the residents right now, today. CO-generation, chipping, grinding etc. Etc. and on and on are all great ideas and will probably impact the future but for now... Mother Nature burns it, and as the fire department it is not our job our or responsibility to provide you with energy or hot water we're here to keep you and your home safe. Air curtain burners allow the maximum amount of FUEL to be reduced to a safe state, as Mother Nature does, with a minimum impact upon the environment and air quality.
• SOLD RECENTLY FOR $23,000.00 to someone on Vancouver Island.
• Hydrant Testing The annual hydrant tests will be managed by public works from now on. All hydrants are required to be tested once a year by law. At this time the area around the hydrant is cleared of any obstructions and the hydrant is opened and flushed. This will result in a large amount of high-pressure water being discharged from the hydrant ports for the short period of time that it takes for the water to run clear. Due to the extreme volume of water and pressures involved it is not possible to attach a loose hose to the hydrant to direct the water away from objects, plants or landscaping that some residents have placed in this right-of-way. All hydrants are on RDCO right-of-way and nothing should be placed in this area that impedes or interferes with this annual testing or actual use in an emergency this testing is required by the insurance companies for you to maintain the premium discount you currently receive on your home insurance.
• Flooding Information & Sandbags are available through the fire department. For information check out the Fire Prevention and Education page on this web site. For information on sandbags and sand to protect your HOME call the fire hall during business hours or in the case of an emergency call 911 and explain the problem to them and they will dispatch the fire department. Sandbags and sand through the Provincial Emergency Program are only available to protect your home not your property.
• Dog License for 2012 are available at the Killiney Beach fire hall. Spayed or neutered dogs are $20.00 if not fixed it's $60.00 for a tag. For more than two dogs you are required to have a kennel license with a cost of $125.00 annually and approval from the Regional District. After Feb. 29 2012 tags will cost you $20.00 more (late fee) for a total of $40.00. Please call the hall (545-1195) before you come down as I am called away for meetings and incidents and no one will be here to help you.
• Fireworks are PROHIBITED within the Central Okanagan Regional District. The discharge of Fireworks are also illegal and under Provincial Legislation during an open burning ban and within 1 kilometer of the forest. The sale and/or discharge of fireworks are banned under RDCO Bylaw #53. Any person violating any of the provisions of this bylaw could be liable to a $100.00 penalty for each offense. As well as the fine for violating the bylaw you can also be billed for suppression costs for any fire/fires started by your fireworks. If you have purchased or are planning on purchasing fireworks you should speak to the merchant and insist they allow you to set them off in their parking lot or around their homes. If the store is selling fireworks legally then they are probably in a jurisdiction that allows fireworks to be discharged, set them off there because here we will fine you and send you a bill for any suppression costs incurred by the fire department, and Forestry will probably do the same.
• Address signs are still receiving a great response and I have ordered another batch. This will bring the total number of signs to about 200. It is not to late order today for an early spring installation. Don't miss out on this great deal or you may just get missed later when it really counts.
• POST EVACUATION INFORMATION -
  • When you get home to an area that was evacuated and in direct threat of the Terrace Mtn. Fire when it approached the community you may find items around your home not where you left them. The fire department with the help of Forestry and Government contract crews went in and did what is called Structural Site Mitigation and Preparation. This is where any items around the structure (woodpiles, propane tanks, patio furniture, etc.) or part of your home ( wood decks, out buildings, etc.) that will sustain fire are placed as far away as possible (10m or 30 feet) or sprinkler protected. It has been found from previous fires that it is these small items that have been responsible for structure losses on wildland interface fires such as threaten our community.