Gabriola’s High with early shift wildfire hazard status

When Gabriola’s fire status has been listed as High for 4 days and no significant rain has fallen we move into High With Early Shift.

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Gabriolans must be very cautious as forest fuels  will be very dry and may easily ignite and fire can spread very rapidly. 

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For more information please visit the provincial fire danger website.

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What is a high risk activity? 

Excerpt from Bylaw 102

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Examples of Industrial activity that can continue after 1pm when the fire hazard rating is High - Early Shift or during Extreme with the fire fighting equipment on site:

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• Excavating equipment operating on non combustible area 

• Well drilling

• Jackhammering or rock drills

• Pressure washing 

• Leaf blowing (gas powered)

• Portable generators 

• Portable water pumps

• String trimmer, with a nylon string (gas powered)

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Examples of Industrial activity that must cease by 1pm during Extreme, regardless of fire fighting equipment on site:

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• Lawn mowing (Irrigated, green grass)

• String trimmer with metal blades (gas powered)

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Examples of high risk activities that cannot continue after 1pm during High - Early Shift and must cease during Extreme, regardless of fire fighting equipment on site:
 

• Land Clearing

• Tree or brush forwarding 

• Tree processing

• Chainsawing 

• Milling

• Grinding or cutting to cause sparks (Outdoors)

• Welding (Outdoors)

• Industrial mowing of road frontage 

• Explosives / Fireworks

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This Appendix is subject to amendment from time to time.

This appendix is valid as of March 31, 2023

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SECTION 15 SAFETY EQUIPMENT 

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15.1.1 The following safety equipment shall be in place at the work site for a fire rating of

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i. high-early shift (after one o’clock in the afternoon);

ii. all day in extreme

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a. a working hard line phone service or a cell phone able to complete calls 

b. a 2.7kg, or greater, ABC rated fire extinguisher 

c. hand tools, such as a mattocks or shovels for each employee on site 

d. a tank of water, 946 litres or larger

e. any other equipment deemed necessary by the Fire Chief or his designate 

f. a portable pump connected to the water supply with a flow rate of 151 litres per minutes or larger 

g. a 38mm hose line of sufficient length to cover the distance from the tank to the furthest point of the operations plus 10 metres 

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Activities that are permitted

When our wildfire hazard rating is Extreme​ some activities are permitted but you must take care in the use of the equipment. As a precaution against fire all activities require you to have a water source or 5LB Fire Extinguisher available and a telephone in case of an emergency.

 

• Barbecues and Hibachis powered by propane or charcoal.
   

• Propane fire pits are allowed but Flames must be 6 inches or less and be safely located: For example not placed in tall grass.
   

• CSA Approved, WETT Certified wood stoves installed in a home. But no garbage burning this includes waste paper or card board or yard waste such as garden leaves.
   

• Safely used and located electrically powered carpentry tools such as such as circular saws, table saws, and drills. A watchman is required: you must have a person at the work site for 2 hours after work has stopped as a precaution against fire. The watchman must have quick access to a telephone in case of an emergency.
   

Activities that are not permitted

When our wildfire hazard rating is Extreme we are in shut down. Below are a list of Prohibited items some items may not be listed, when in doubt Contact the fire department and if you cannot confirm the use of the item then do not proceed to use the equipment.
 

• Open burning of any sort is not permitted:
  This includes camp fires, Beach fires, Tiki torches, Rocket stoves, woodstoves not installed in a house and Burn Permits are no longer issued.

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Please see following table for reference before starting any activities...