Coquitlam Wildfire History • City of Coquitlam is 122 square km (12,231 hectares) in size. • Between 1950 – 2005, there were 173 recorded wildfires in Coquitlam. • Human caused fires were most common followed by lightning. • Largest Fire in Coquitlam during the period occurred in 1974 and burned 143 hectares.
BC Wildfire Season Averages TOTAL FIRES
TOTAL HECTARES
PERSONCAUSED (%)
LIGHTNINGCAUSED (%)
TOTAL COSTS (MILLIONS)
2018*
2,117
1,354,284
(25.3%)
(70.3%)
$615
2017**
1,353
1,216,053
(40.8%)
(57.1%)
$649
2008 – 2016 Average
1,666
269,702
(42.5%)
(57.3%)
$188
YEAR
* Figures for the most recent fire season are preliminary estimates.
What qualifies as a human-caused fire? While not deliberate, there are many fires that are ‘human-caused’ such as, but not limited to: • a mower blade connecting with a rock causing a spark igniting a fire • a discarded, lit cigarette butt • rags with flammable product such as linseed oil left exposed to heat or sun • bbq coals disposed of incorrectly • unattended campfire • ANYTHING THAT ISN’T LIGHTNING!
coquitlam.ca/firesafety
What is the Wildland Urban Interface? The Wildland Urban Interface is where the forest meets the developed community. Fire has the ability to spread: • from the forest into the community, or • from the community out into the forest. Both scenarios are different, but they are of equal importance when considering interface fire risk.
Local Wildfire Risk Wildfire risks can increase in Coquitlam with ongoing fuel hazard, lengthening fire seasons as a result of climate change and more frequent extreme weather events. In Coquitlam, we have over 1,200 properties that border on a forest.
DANGER CLASS
Extreme High Moderate Low Very Low
FIRE SEASON JUNE JULY AUG.
APRIL
MAY
0.0
0.0
0.2
1.8
0.1 1.3 10.9 17.7
0.5 8.0 11.1 11.4
3.2 4.5 11.8 10.3
6.7 10.7 8.5 3.3
SEPT.
OCT.
TOTAL DAYS
1.9
0.8
0.0
4.7
12.4 9.8 6.0 0.8
4.8 3.1 10.9 10.4
0.8 0.4 11.4 18.4
28.6 37.8 70.6 72.3
The probability of fire moving out of the community, Coquitlam, and into the forest is equal or greater to the probability of fire moving from the forest into the community.
coquitlam.ca/firesafety
The Wildland Urban Interface Fires spreading in the wildland urban interface can impact homes in two distinct ways: 1 Firebrand-caused Iginitions: • Sparks or burning embers are carried by the wind • Convection that starts new fires beyond the zone of direct ignition • Sparks or burning embers that alight on vulnerable construction materials such as roofing, siding, decks, etc.
Burning embers are carried ahead of the fire front and alight on vulnerable building surfaces.
2 Radiant Heat or Flame Contact • Direct flame contact • Convective heating or radiant heating along the edge of a burning fire front burning forest • Structure-to-structure contact
Radiant heat and flame contact allows fire to spread from vegetation to structure or from structure to structure.
coquitlam.ca/firesafety
Community Wildfire Protection Planning Coquitlam completed its most recent Wildfire Protection Plan in 2012. The City also completed the Mundy Park Forest Management Plan in 2015. Wildfire Protection Plan Recommendations included • Interface Wildfire Risk Management Development Permit Area – instituted with appropriate siting, building material and landscaping design guidelines. • Communication and Education – Educate residents and businesses on actions they can take to reduce fire risk on private property. • Structure Protection – Adopt a FireSmart approach to site and structure hazard assessment and structure protection. • Emergency Response – Develop an emergency response plan that enables effective evacuation. • Training – Ensure adequate and consistent training for firefighter personnel and to build firefighter experience. • Fuel Management Strategies – Proactively lessen potential fire behaviour, thereby increasing the probability of successful containment and minimizing adverse impact. • Planned manipulation and/or reduction of living and dead forest fuels for land management objectives - hazard reduction. • Retain canopy trees. • Thin from below (i.e., smallest trees first). • Reduce the fine woody debris on the ground.
coquitlam.ca/firesafety
What Can You do to Help Prevent Damage from Wildfires? Construction Tips • Ensure adequate fire protection is provided during construction of a building. This includes hot-works safety practices during common welding, roofing and plumbing installations. Construction fire safety plans are required. • Keep the roof and gutters clear of dead needles and other accumulations such as dead leaves; prune all branches that hang over the roof. • All vents should be screened with 3mm metal screens. • Construct decks with non-combustible or fire-resistant materials. Cover with solid surfaces as opposed to slotted surfaces that allow needles to accumulate below the deck. • Use ignition resistive material for exterior vertical wall cladding. • Outdoor structures such as gazebos should have at least nine metres separation from a main structure. • Relocate flammable debris at least 10 metres away from the home.
coquitlam.ca/firesafety
What Can You do to Help Prevent Damage from Wildfires? Landscaping • Manage the risk and reduce the amount of fuel present - prune your shrubs, remove all dead and dry vegetation and tree limbs 2 - 3 metres from the ground. • Break up continuous vegetation. Vegetation should be spaced so that there is no continuous canopy or line of vegetation leading to your structure. Increase the spacing between shrubs and plants if your lot is on a slope. • Plant fire-resistant vegetation around your house or other structures. • Relocate firewood and other combustible debris at least 10 metres away from your home. • Please check with the Building Department prior to replacing your roof for any other pertinent local regulations. • Adhere to local bylaws, which do not allow any open burning, and dispose of smoking materials carefully.
coquitlam.ca/firesafety
HOW WILDFIRES GROW TREES
SURFACE FUELS
Coniferous trees are highly flammable. Deciduous (leafy) trees are much less flammable.
FIRE HOW WILDFIRES SPREAD
+
FUEL
SPARKS/EMBERS This is the burning debris that can be thrown up to two kilometres ahead of a wildfire. Sparks and embers can ignite materials on or near your home, causing severe damage.
STRUCTURES
Plants, leaves, twigs, wood piles and dried grasses are surface fuels.
=
Building materials include: wood shakes, wood or vinyl siding, wooden fences attached to homes.
WHY HOMES BURN
EXTREME HEAT Radiant heat from a wildfire can melt vinyl siding, ignite your home and even break windows. Extreme heat can come from flames within 30 metres of your home.
RADIANT HEAT
DIRECT FLAME As wildfires spread toward homes, they ignite other flammable objects in their path. Breaks in this path, especially close to your home, can help reduce this threat.
DIRECT FLAME
The ildland Urban Interface Image from the BC Wildfire Service’s FireSmart Homeowner’s Manual
FireSmart Community Workshop
coquitlam.ca/firesafety
DECREASE THE DENSITY OF TREES
PRUNE LOWER BRANCHES REMOVE COMBUSTIBLE SURFACE MATERIALS
FIRESMART RULES OF THUMB
Wildfire can follow a path from a forest or grassland to your home. A wildfire moving from the tops of trees can be slowed if the trees are spaced out. It can be further slowed by flame-resistant plants and shrubs in your yard. Since plants have different flammability, consider spacing out your plants to increase your home’s ability to withstand a wildfire.
1
YARD SPACING Changes within 10 metres of your home will have the biggest impact
10 metres
Coniferous trees are at least 10m away from the house and the trees that are closer are deciduous.
3 metres
2 metres
The woodpile is also at least 10m away from the house.
2
TREE SPACING Spacing trees at least 3 metres apart will help reduce the intensity of a wildfire.
3
PRUNE TREES Prune all tree branches within 2 metres of the ground.
Images from the BC Wildfire Service’s FireSmart Homeowner’s Manual
FireSmart Community Workshop
coquitlam.ca/firesafety
PRIORITY ZONES 1, 2 AND 3 FireSmart Your Home and Property FireSmart is a program that prepares homeowners and the community to prepare for
FireSmart is a program that prepares homeowners and the community to the threat of wildfire. Primary goals are to reduce probability of ignition and to create preparespace. for the threat of wildfire. Primary goals are to reduce probability of defensible ignition and to create defensible space. Decrease the probability of ignition to a home from: Goals are to:
• DIRECT FLAME CONTACT,
• EMBERS OR FIREBRANDS, • decrease the probability of ignition to a home from: • direct home contact - zone 1 • SPOTTING • embers or firebrands - zone 2 • spotting - zone 3 homes in Priority Zones Create Defensible Space around Structure and Site Hazard Assessment 0 – 30 metres
Area Hazard Assessment 30 – 100m
Image from the BC Wildfire Service’s FireSmart Homeowner’s Manual Image from the BC Wildfire Service’s FireSmart Homeowner’s Manual
Most residents can have the most impact in Priority Zone 1 by considering: • Building design and materials – FireSmart design and construction • Landscaping (vegetation choices) As a homeowner, you can have the most impact by creating a defensible space • Yard maintenance around your home in Priority Zone 1 by: • Materials storage (firewood, fuel tanks, etc)
• use of FireSmart design and construction which including using FireSmart building materials
FireSmart: What you can do • landscaping choices - both design and types of plants and materials - and yard/lot maintenance
FireSmart Principles • proper storage of materials such as firewood, fuel tanks, etc.
coquitlam.ca/firesafety
Coquitlam Fire / Rescue Capabilities • Three Structure Protection Unit trailers operated and maintained by Coquitlam Fire Rescue, available for deployment in Coquitlam and surrounding areas. • All Fire Rescue personnel trained to wildfire interface standards. • Fire Rescue maintains a team of wildfire interface specialists trained and regularly deployed to assist the Province in sprinkler protection during wildfire interface events, therefore, greatly increasing the effectiveness should a wildfire incident occur in Coquitlam. City of Coquitlam Actions Coquitlam has undertaken a number or steps to help mitigate wildland urban interface fires. • Fuel treatment • Wildfire buffer in northeast Coquitlam • Summer water restriction relaxation program • Coquitlam Fire Rescue Park Patrols • Summer Parks Bylaw officers for education and enforcement • Interface Wildfire Risk Management Development Permit Area
coquitlam.ca/firesafety
Coquitlam Fire / Rescue Structure Protection Team
A great save. The Fish Pot Lake Resort stays green and unburnt thanks to sprinklers deployed by a Coquitlam Fire/ Rescue Structure Protection Team.
Fish Pot Lake Resort and surrounding forest before the devastation due to wildfire in 2017.
Sprinklers set up on critical infrastructure Nazko 2018.
Cutting our way in to check on another saved property.
Sprinklers in action Nazko 2017.
Setting up a pump and bladder.
Unit #402 towing a Sprinkler Protection Trailer in BC’s Interior.
coquitlam.ca/firesafety
Roof top sprinkler set up.
Remote communications towers need protection too.
Quick team photo after a job well done.