Kamloops Fire Rescue asks residents to be on alert as interface fire risk increases

KAMLOOPS — Amid a heat wave with projected temperatures in the high 30s, Kamloops Fire Rescue (KFR) says the risk of interface wildfires within the city has increased.

In a news release issued Tuesday (July 26), KFR asks residents to be on high alert for fire risks, such as ensuring cigarettes are extinguished and properly discarded.

Kamloops residents are asked to call 9-1-1 to report a fire within city limits and call 9-1-1 or *5555 from a cell phone for fires outside of city limits.

When residents are reporting wildfires, first responders ask for the following information:

• exact location and size (the size of a campfire, a car, a house, a football field, etc.)
• colour, density, and volume of smoke (white, gray, brown, black, etc.)
• wind speed and direction (which way the smoke blowing)
• type of vegetation and spacing (in trees, grass, etc.)
• terrain (steep, flat, etc.)
• valuables at risk (near homes, structures, etc.)
• access (near a main road or on a trail, street names, etc.)
• resources currently in use (someone already fighting the fire and with what)

Additionally, residents are encouraged to register for Voyent Alert! – the City of Kamloops’ emergency notification system. If the City needs to issue an evacuation alert or order, KFR says the application system will be an essential way of alerting and updating the public.

If used, KFR says the notification will include important information about the event and instructions for if action is required.