Page BG — Terrace Standard, } Wednesday, May 6, 1992 Lightning reactions part of job — Every spring an Order-In- Council is enacted to declare Apr. 15 - Oct. 31 fire season in B.C. If we have an unusually warm and -dry spring or a long, hot summer _the season may begin earlier or be extended. Joe Katasonoff, ‘Resource Of ficer, Protection, for the Kalum Forest District, classifies this year as fairly normal, weathezwise, for northern B.C. Our snow pack is considered average or above- - “average but it is just the opposite ~ for: the southem half of the pro- _ vince. Precipitation throughout the summer months will also . determine the kind of fire season “we will see, Because the weather is such an important consideration in in-. dicating potential . fire hazard levels, au extensive weather- gathering system is used to monitor the Kalum Forest Dis- trict, which covers the area from 50 miles south of Kemano to 100 miles north of Meziadin. A field office is located at Stewart to complement the work done in There can be as many as 2,000 lightning strikes from a single thunderstorm. Terrace. ; The Kalum Forest District bas nine remote operating weather stations which are tied into a radio communications system that is linked to a computer. These automatic recording sta- tions arc strategically situated throughout the district to provide daily weather readings which can be ‘accessed at any time by the Terrace fire control office. "The way lhe (fire) proteclion organi- zation works, explains Katasonoff, “is that our prepared- ness and prevention activities are all tied into the fire danger levels that are determined by this ex- tensive wealher system." If indications are that the fire hazard level is increasing,the next preparediiess activity would be to man two primary lookouts and then two secondary lookouts as deemed necessary. The two pri- mary fire watch lookouls are on Thornhill Mountain and Kit- lookout (down the Kitimat Val- ley); the secondary locations are 45 km north up the Kalum river at Beaver Bluff and uorh of Meziadin at the Bell lookout, Additionally, air patrols will be run based on fire activity, fire danger and lightning accurrence. A very sophisticated - lightning detection network involves a sys- tem of electronic repeaters lo- cated ‘throughout the province, A computer program plots lightning as it occurs and automatically records it as fo frequency and location. There can be as many as 2,000 strikes of lightning from one thunderstorm and although not all strikes’ are hazardous, they must all be checked out, As many as 25 fires have started in the Kalum Porest District from one storm. Tfa fire is started by lightning, an initial fire suppression crew of _ three will be sent to the site, A fire that is not readily contained may require the assistance of one of the 16 provincial resource crews whe may be asked to help anywhere in. B,C, One of these crews is a 20-man all-native crew from. Kitimat who are “reposi- tioned" to fire activity siles as the need arises, During the off-season fire prevention crews wark on other projects within the miuistry, such as silviculture or at recrea- tion sites. . A DC 6 aircraft capable of holding 2,000 gallons of water is statioued with the Forest Service headquarters office in Smithers and is used for the initial water bombing of a fire, specifically higher elevation fires. Helicopters have more ver- satility than fixed wing aircraft as evidenced by the uses to which they are put - dropping crews iato remote areas, taking equipment into crews and accessing difficult . lot. more. BOMBS AWAY. Although the DC6 water bombers can carry a _ 2,000 gallans — helicopters. are.a_ lot more yer- Satile - vand- better. suited to shitting. fires..in. difficult. locations. They're also used to ferry men and supplies to remote biazes. ENVIRON OPTI NTAL NS. At SAFEWAY, we are working with your forest industry to pro- tect our environment by pro- viding information through the Environmental Options program. —— Safeway is proud to ‘support =~ Forestry Week in Canada, SAFEWAY -home to help protect Safeway’s Environmental Options brochure provides practical environmental tips and information. THE GARDEN | *When planning your garden this spring, you might consider adding short, dense shrubs aroiind the foundation of your against next winter’s cold. Today’s Better Way ¥ 4655 Lakelse Ave., Terrace ‘Joe Katasonoft locations wilh foam fire retar- dants, The protection department of the Kalum Forest District does not involve itself solely with nature-based = fires im our forests.One of the biggest con-- cems facing fire protection agen- cics today is the fire caused by human carelessness in areas clas- sified as "wild land urban inter- face areas,” These urban locations have seen increased population and activily resulting in more fires, "We are quite fortunate here that we have nine protection agreements with other agencies, primarily fire departments and inunicipalities," says Katasonclf. These. agreements, with municipalities and logging com- panies, ensure that fire suppres- sion agencies are available to as- sist each olhers fires outside their own fegal boundaries. ’ Developing public awareness is essential in typing to reduce the number of fires in one’s own backyard and in the home, Recently revised fire prevention regulations and legislation are directed at making the public more responsible for fire safety, The fire control office on Keith - vere is quiet now. Let’s hope it stays that way. ® -N- Vs of “|WAS FRAMED™ (For a good cause!) SOCIETE CANADIAN Be CARENNE BRITISH COLUMBIA AND YUKON DIVISION EAT Terrace Truck & Diesel Ltd. 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