Protecting Our Forests and Communities from Wildfire

 
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The forests of Vancouver Island are where we live, work and play. Every summer, the risk of wildfire impacts our communities and our operations – and with climate change, that risk is becoming more severe and occurring more often. 

At Mosaic Forest Management, fire prevention and rapid response is a high priority. In addition to formal coordination with the Provincial Wildfire Response program, we have invested in our own wildfire management capability together with our contractors, including: 

  • Daily aerial and ground-based surveillance.

  • Helicopter-based rapid attack.

  • On average, 100 all-terrain fire trucks staged across our lands.

  • Well-stocked depots with pumps and hoses in depots located across our land base.

  • Trained crews in initial attack and forest fire fighting, serving as a critical first line of defense.

  • Twenty-four remote, state-of-the-art weather stations with satellite uplinks for monitoring and forecasting of fire risk.

  • We will take preventative measures when the fire risk is too high, limiting access to forest lands. This helps protect the forests and the safety of our neighbours.

  • During high fire risk, we modify operations to run equipment in the early morning and evening when fire risk is lower – or cease operations altogether when necessary.

 What you can do  

  • Watch for and comply with campfire bans and backcountry restrictions that alert to hazards.

  • Report smoke or other signs of wildfire immediately: Call the BC Wildfire Service at 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on your cellphone.

  • Educate yourself on being Fire Smart and how to protect your family and your property from wildfire – www.firesmartbc.ca.

  • Spread the word: Let your friends and family know what to do if they see a forest fire – and about forest fire prevention.

 Here are some more fire smart tips 

Campfires 

  • Never have a campfire when it’s windy.

  • Always ensure you extinguish your campfire by pouring plenty of water on the fire and surrounding area.

  • Never leave a campfire unattended.

  • Keep your fire size small.

  • Always follow bans and restrictions when a high fire danger rating is in effect. 

Recreational vehicles 

  • Be aware that hot exhaust pipes on all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes can easily ignite dry grass areas.

Smoking 

  • Always put out your cigarettes and dispose of them safely.

  • Consider butting out in a water-filled ashtray. 

Hunting / Target Shooting 

  • Bullets can cause ignition in dry conditions.

Learn more about wildfire safety in our Wildfire Factsheet available here.

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