Risks of wildfires are growing daily throughout British Columbia and many wildfires can be prevented by you when you are out exploring all the beauties that our province has to offer! Here is our list of wildfire prevention tips for you to remember this summer:

• Keep vehicles off of dry grass or any other dry, flammable plants. Even your hot exhaust pipe can be enough to start a fire.
• Make sure that all of your vehicles and equipment, like chainsaws, have spark arrestors.
• Dispose of your cigarette butts properly. Do not throw them out of your vehicle’s window or anywhere besides a proper cigarette disposal container.
• Avoid using fireworks. Fireworks alone cause many of BC’s wildfires every year.
• If you are using fireworks, make sure you have a bucket of water, garden hose and/or fire extinguisher that is easily accessible. Consider wetting down the area around where you will be lighting the fireworks.
• Only use fireworks in clear areas with no woods nearby
• Keep fireworks, lighters, matches and any other flame or spark producing objects away from children.
• Douse fireworks after you’ve used them to make sure they are fully extinguished.
• Use caution when using flammable liquids such as gasoline or lighter fluid. Make sure that you are only refueling devices when they have completely cooled down and be careful to spill as little as possible of the flammable liquid on the ground.
• Stay up to date with the risks of wildfires in your area.

Here are some additional resources if you are looking for more information on wildfire prevention and more:

Follow along with our upcoming blogs in this series about protecting this gift that is the land we live, work and play on.