Quick response by Salmon Arm firefighters kept an accidental hedge fire from causing further damage.
At around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 15, the Salmon Arm Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire at a residence on 17th Street SE, a few houses off of Okanagan Avenue. Upon arrival, firefighters found a tall hedge burning between two residences.
“Fortunately, we were able to knock it down quickly,” said Fire Chief Brad Shirley, adding there was some damage to vinyl siding on one of the homes. A shed behind the residence also appeared to have been damaged.
Endeavouring to help educate homeowners on the importance of preventative FireSmart principles, Shirley pointed out the approximately 10 to 15-foot distance from the hedge to the melted siding.
“It certainly shows how FireSmarting can prevent a structure from being damaged or destroyed,” said Shirley.
The FireSmart program is intended to help reduce the risk wildfires pose to residences.
The FireSmart Homeowners manual and other relevant information is available on the City of Salmon Arm’s website. The Columbia Shuswap Regional District offers free FireSmart home assessments, which can be requested on the regional district’s website at csrd.bc.ca/firesmart.
Read more: What can you do to protect your property from wildfires?
Read more: CSRD offering FireSmart assesments, developing community wildfire plans
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