Moving up to HIGH Fire Danger Class

The fire weather stations around us (Cedar, N. Cowichan, Saltspring) have moved up to Danger Rating 4-HIGH. We are moving up to HIGH as well. This means that starting on Wednesday “Early Shift” goes into effect for HIGH-RISK ACTIVITIES.

In the Wildfire Regulation, high risk activities mean each of the following:
(As per Wildfire Regulation consolidated April 2023.)
(a) mechanical brushing;
(b) disk trenching;
(c) preparation or use of explosives;
(d) using fire- or spark-producing tools, including cutting tools;
(e) using or preparing fireworks or pyrotechnics;
(f) grinding, including rail grinding;
(g) mechanical land clearing;
(h) clearing and maintaining rights of way, including grass mowing;
(i) any of the following activities carried out in a cutblock excluding a road, landing, roadside work area or log sort area in the cutblock:
(i) operating a power saw;
(ii) mechanical tree felling, woody debris piling or tree processing, including de-limbing;
(iii) welding;
(iv) portable wood chipping, milling, processing or manufacturing;
(v) skidding logs or log forwarding unless it is improbable that the skidding or forwarding will result in the equipment contacting rock;
(vi) yarding logs using cable systems;
(j) to (q) Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 213/2008, s. 1 (b).]

Starting on Wednesday morning, HIGH RISK activities must cease at 1pm and a two-hour fire watch posted. Note that electric mowers or weed eaters with metal blades can produce sparks when hitting rocks. And are therefore prohibited. Plastic string mowers are allowed. Electric chainsaws are allowed if cutting will be above waist height where there is no danger of the chain striking the ground. Gas saws and other gas equipment are prohibited.

TIVFD