Current Forest Fire Hazard Rating is Extreme!
NO OPEN AIR BURNING is permitted

Tips for Building a Safe Campfire

Did You Know?

  • About 200,000 hectares of forest are burned each year - that's almost 375,000 football fields!
  • Forest fires can cost millions of dollars to put out.
  • Campfires cause a lot of these forest fires.

If you're going camping or plan to have a campfire, follow these tips so you can enjoy your campfire safely:

1. Choose a Site
  •     Pick a site that is close to a water source and sheltered from the wind.
  •    Build your fire on a rock surface or bare dirt.
  •    Build your fire at least 3 meters away from logs, stumps, trees and overhanging branches.
  •    Build your fire 15 meters away from buildings or tents.                   

2. Prepare the Site
  •   Clear a space (about 2 meters wide) where the fire will be.
  •   Make sure you remove pine needles, grass, leaves and twigs.
  •   Scrape the area right down to the soil.
  •   Be sure you have a pail of water and a shovel to control the fire.
           
4. Stay Nearby
  •   Never leave a campfire unattended.
  •   If you start a campfire, you are responsible for tending the fire, ensuring it is kept under control and extinguishing       it.

Enjoy Your Campfire

Then...Put it Out!

Surviving Power Outages

  • To reduce fire risk use battery operated flashlights or lanterns instead of candles or hurricane lamps during a power outage

    If using candles place, them in a secure holder and cover them with a glass chimney, Put them where they can't be knocked over and out    of reach of pets and small children.

    Propane and charcoal barbeques are for outdoor use only, never operate them inside.

    Make sure electric stove elements are off to prevent fires from starting when the power is restored.

    Use only portable space heaters that have been approved for indoor use

    Electrically-connected smoke alarms will not work during power outages unless they are equipped with a battery back up feature.  Make sure there is atleast 1 battery operated smoke alarm on every level of your home.

    During  the power outage conduct regular fire safety checks of each room, make sure everyone knows how to escape in the event of a fire.




Fire safety tips for cold weather
     
  • Burn dry, well-seasoned wood in fireplaces and woodstoves to reduce the risk of excessive creosote build-up in chimneys.
  • Allow ashes from your woodstove or fireplace to cool before emptying them into a metal container with a tight-fitting lid. Keep the container outside.
  • Keep intake and exhaust vents for furnaces and heating appliances free of ice and snow accumulations to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide build-up from inefficient combustion. Install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms to alert you to the presence of this deadly gas.
  • Keep space heaters at least one metre (3 feet) away from anything that can burn, including curtains, upholstery, and clothing.
  • Replace worn or damaged electrical wires and connections on vehicles and extension cords and use the proper gauge extension cord for vehicle block heaters.
  • Consider using approved timers for vehicle block heaters rather than leaving heaters on all night.
  • Ensure that vehicles are not left running inside any garage or building.        
  • Install smoke alarms on every storey and outside all sleeping areas.  Develop and practise a home fire escape plan so that everyone knows what to do if a fire occurs.