Fire prevention and department news for Hornby Island Fire Rescue
With the rain and cooler temperatures overnight, the fire danger rating for Hornby has eased.
High risk activities such as the use of chainsaws is now allowed. With that said, the ground below the surface is still very dry, so please exercise caution and keep an extra eye out after you have finished any projects.
All burning as prescribed by the Province of B.C. is still banned.
We will update the signs and continue to keep everyone informed of any changes.
In a classic, “Well THAT escalated quickly” moment, we will be instituting the “High Risk Activity” restrictions that seem to come almost every year. After all, it was only yesterday that we stopped campfires. Unless there is a drop in the fire hazard, the restrictions will go into effect on Monday, July 21 at noon. Here is a list of the most common activities that are temporarily suspended:
Residential lawn mowing is not banned, but it should be accompanied by a working garden hose that can reach the entire area and a minimum 1-hour fire watch afterwards.
We understand that this creates a hardship on anyone who makes their living in the tree business. We also know it throws a kink into the plans of anyone who is working on getting their firewood ready for the fall. Implementing these restrictions is not something I take lightly, but considering our remoteness, I feel it is time.
Please call the firehall at 250.335.2611 if you have any questions.
The Coastal Fire Center of the BC Wildfire Service has put a campfire ban in effect beginning Thursday, July 17 at noon.
CSA and UL-certified propane fire rings are permitted. They can be identified by their lack of smoke, no sparks, and a consistent flame. If you see a fire on the island, and you are confident it isn’t a propane ring, please call 911 and ask for a duty officer investigation.
Miranda Johnson, Internal Communications Officer for the Ministry of Forests, wrote an excellent article about the Wildfire Risk Reduction project we conducted here on Hornby Island. She interviewed most of the people who were involved and did a great job of capturing what we were trying to accomplish.
“The success of the Hornby Island project stands as a testament not only to its innovative and climate-conscious approach to wildfire resilience but also to the power of value-driven collaboration with local leadership and the community.”
I’m proud of how the project turned out, and I believe it is an example of how to do this type of work on Hornby and in other coastal communities.
The Province has banned all category 2 and category 3 burning until further notice. Campfires of less than half meter in diameter (category 1) are currently still allowed.
The “wetting down” ceremony is a long-standing tradition dating back to the days of horse-drawn fire trucks. In those days, the firefighters would unhook the truck from the horses, wash it, and then push it into the garage by hand. It became a tradition that fire departments follow whenever a new apparatus arrives.
After a two-year process, Hornby Island’s new fire truck is ready to go into service, and we are inviting the community to come and watch the ceremony. It will take place at the beginning of our regular Thursday evening training on May 29 at 1930 sharp. We expect it to take about 20 – 30 minutes, after which we will be off to a simulated trail rescue drill.
If you have a few minutes to come see the new rig, we would love to see you there. The chief and probably a few others will be there from 1830 to show off our newest apparatus.
Considering the drying conditions and the prospect of a nasty fire season, we will soon be requiring permits for all burns bigger than a campfire. Permits are free and can be obtained by calling the fire hall at 250.335.2611. Someone will come to inspect your burn pile on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
The HIFR member who comes to see your backyard burn pile will want to see the following:
Any burn piles containing logs or stumps are considered category III piles and require:
The weather forecast suggests clouds and a small chance of showers, but it’ll be a warm 5 degrees for the 2025 edition of the Hornby Island Polar Bear Swim on New Years Day. HIFR will be at Grassy Point beach with trucks, hot dogs, chai and a big bonfire in anticipation of the swimmers hitting the water at noon sharp.
This is a great family event with everyone from 6 years old to those in their 80s swimming or just watching the spectacle.
Pro tips:
1) Bring a mug for the hot chai to avoid a single-use cup.
2) Wear water shoes because the pebbles can be hard on your feet.
