The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 5, 1999 - BS > ~ will jump B.C.’s latest weapon in the fight against forest fires is ready to go, The fledgling parattack program, started last year in Smithers, consists of three, six-man crews called smoke jumpers, who parachute into remote fires that can’t be ac- cessed by road and are too far for helicopters. Each crew has five jumpers and a spotter. , Parattack crews jump from a height of 450 metres, and will be used mainly to fight fires early in the season, says Northwest Fire Centre manager Bruce Hutchinson, When not used as smoke jumpers, the fire fighters can convert into-one 20-man unit crew or three-man initial attack snowpack could delay forest fire season here HEAVY SNOWPACK on mouniaintops near Terrace this year, will make for a slow start to the Forest fire season. The presence of snow is keeping ground damp, thus easing the risk of fires, crews, . So for now, crews are on alert all across the province Hutchinson says paratlack is the most efficient way to ing 1 battle remote Fires, for flooding because of heavy runoff or for fire sup- pression, says local forest service fire proection officer Richard Forget. “We're ready to ga,”’ said Forget, ‘‘We’ve Bot crews that travel all over the province,”? Snow that lingered in river valleys later than usual also shortened the length of time between snowfall and spring greening. Forget, who travelled east to help out in Alberta last year, Said it’s really too early to predict what the sum- “It's a program that will work better in the north,’’ he explains. “When you look at a map of B.C., there’s a Jot more towns and roads in the south. In the north half of the map there aren't any roads and it’s difficult to get to the fires. It’s long rides by helicopters, which need more fuel, and there’s limits to the amount of weight they can carry.”’ When you look at the smoke jumping program, the cheapest way to move a pound a mile is by fixed-wing air- craft,”’ : : "an ae ‘ as 1 will be like here, The elite smoke jumping crew is the only one of its kind — depends on the rainfall,” he said in the country, , ; The forest fire season usually starts here in April and muns to the end of September or October. April fires, he said, are usually caused by grass burns that grow out of control when the winds pick up. “We get a lot of home and bams that are threatened from grass fires,’’ he said, ‘‘It’s pretty exciting.” In the summer the attention of Terrace’s two three- person initial attack crews turns toward traditional forest fires — 60 per cent of which are started by lightning. Industrial fires or man-made ones make up the remaining 40 percent. The initial attack crews act as first responders for the region and are dispatched out of the Northwest Fire Centre in Smithers, He said crews in Terrace and Smithers immediately look to sce if bum permits are taken out when fires are Teported, If no permits exist, a forest protection assistant, like himself, will drive or fly to the location and assess the About a decade ago the Yukon had a Parattack program, but it ceased operations. Today, paratiack is used mainly in the northwestern United States, and the B.C, program has drawn on Amer- ican help to get started. , Equipment used by the crews, such as chutes and jump suits, was donated by the Americans when they upgraded their gear. Last year, the crews didn’t make any “‘live fire” jumps due to the red tape involved in getting the program up and running. Because they were using an American registered . plane, a Grand Caravan Cessna, forestry officials had to go throngh Tzansport Canada to register it for use in Canada, which took more time than expected, By the time the plane was registered and the crew certified to work, it was too late in the year to properly utilize the program. This year, a Canadian registered Twin Otter is being leased from Cariboo Air for the program, . : ‘ ‘ fire. tothe newds of the programs ‘The new sireraft hes a bine LAST YEAR was the time for preparation and training, but this year it will be the Smaller fires in sprihg or winter conditions are left to fuselage, meaning crews can pack more gear, and some ‘4! thing with a forest service parattack fire fighting team based in Smithers. | burn but in the summer crews and equipment are dis- “touches of comfort — seats. In the old plane, crews sat on Three, six-member crews can expact to be called out to problem fires that are im- | Patched immediately, said Forget. , a woaden floor during flights , possible to get to by any other means, Fire officials say the cost of flying smoke Initial attack crews then call for equipment and 20- . Smoke jumpers returned to duty the beginning of Mayto /UMpers to a fire is less than using a helicopter. The crew will be using a Twin Ot. | person unit crews in Kitimat and Hazelton, if needed. recertify, something they're required to do each year, and" this year, which marks an improvement because it has seats. Last year crews A special patattack crew out of Smithers made of Ys ig taey 4 year, had ta sit on a wooden floor. three six-man crews who parachute into remote fires to prepare for the coming season. To be certified, each firefighter must make seven jumps satisfactorily. inaccessible by road is also available. | NIRVANA METAPHYSIC Terrace Branch le ~ pf MRS HEALING CENTRE, - Box 1024 (250) 635-7881 ; MOELE VL JARMANAH \ Annual Terrace, B.C, V8G 4V1 FAX (250) 635-3980 Le : ; ; Full Geographic Information Systems Services Platte iD ks" Hazard Assessment and Management 1 Watershed Management Planning Canadian Women JIM MANTEL Full Biological and Environmental Services I nh mber , , OPERATIONS MANAGER . _ Bioengineering and Environmental Monitoring DONNA DIANA P.O. Box 824, (250) 635-5253 Enviranmental Sustainability and Planning . : Terrace, B.C, Res, (250) 635-5101 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Promoting the wite roa a ou ferest resources V8G AR] Autotel perl 638-9793 PRINCE GEORGE OFFICE AT (250)564-9983 — Camanah Research Lid. is @ member of the Leven Group TYHEE FORESTRY CONSULTANTS LTD. FOREST MANAGEMENT « SILVICULTURE PLANS CRUISING »SILVICULTURE SURVEYS : Cor ok me Necct B C's 143 Newest BLOCK LAYOUT « ROAD DESIGN TMBER EVALUATION & APPRAISAL Registered Professional Foresters FOX LING .sssessseserssesrersrecsssersccasesescarssares BAP" 2O97 oe : a Registered professional foresters (RPFs) are required by their Code of Ethics co manage BC's forests in the best interest ; g p q y § 3533 Victoria Dr, Smithers...secssssseeceses.. 847-3101 of the public. They balance economic, social and environmental values in every forest management decision. Becoming an RPF requires several years of post-secondary education, training and experience, Each candidate must also pass a stringent registration exam before carning their professional designation. Without it, they cannot practice professional forestry in British Columbia. ACER RESOURCE CONSULTING, LTD, Join us, the Association of BC Professional Foresters, in welcoming the newest members of the profession. 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