B.4 Penticton Indian Band

B.4 Penticton Indian Band

Penticton Indian Band has a community immediately west of Penticton, BC, a medium-sized community (10,000 to 100,000 population) in the moderate hazard region (Figure 35). The community of 100–600 houses has two access routes, which is adequate. The community appears to have paved roads, like most of the houses in nearby Penticton listed on Zillow.

Figure 35. Penticton Indian Band community near Penticton, BC

Shadows of utility poles indicate above-ground electricity, like the sample houses in nearby Penticton. Foliage is sparse and set back far enough from roads to suggest that power lines generally have 5 metres of clearance to vegetation, unlike most of the sample houses in Penticton. Images are not clear enough to check the presence of fire hydrants. There are no obvious water bodies from which to draft.

Google Earth Street View does not reach the community, so the project team has no information about wall or roof cladding. Shadows suggest single-storey houses, but it is hard to tell. Assuming mostly single-storey homes, the average house is about 1,500 square feet, about two-thirds the average 2,200-square foot house in the sample of nearby Penticton houses listed on Zillow.

Six of the ten sample houses (60%) in the Penticton Indian Band neighbourhood have ember-only exposure; the rest (40%) are moderate hazard, using the simplified method. Exposure levels are higher in the nearby sample Penticton houses listed on Zillow: 31% high hazard, 38% moderate, 8% low, and 23% ember-only.