The fire department are already deep into their wildfire mitigation work, which includes several initiatives that have proven beneficial in the past and one in particular that empowers homeowners to do their part by offsetting some of the costs of FireSmart upgrades.
According to a joint release, effective at 12:00 pm on Thursday (May 18) Category 2 and Category 3 open fires, as well as other equipment and activities will be prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre.
BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) crews are currently battling a wildfire near Merritt, where a 20 hectare blaze has grown rapidly throughout the day due to windy conditions.
Merritt Fire Rescue Department crews responded to a motor vehicle fire involving a semi truck hauling an excavator, managing to contain the blaze to the vehicle itself during the late night fire on Saturday (April 15).
BC Wildfire Service has confirmed that a small wildfire near Merritt is currently under control, with one crew on site at the blaze which was reported yesterday (March 28).
The Merritt Fire and Rescue Department (MFRD) responded late last night (December 27) to reports of an electrical fire, which has temporarily closed a local fast food restaurant.
The BC Wildfire Service will be ending extension of the Category 2 and 3 open fire prohibition throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre’s jurisdiction.
The local department looks to raise awareness and increase public safety by ensuring the proper use and placement of smoke detectors, which they say has changed in recent years.
To promote Fire Prevention Week to the youth, B.C. will have its annual Fire Prevention Week contest. The contest aims to promote knowledge in escape planning to all B.C. students K-12.
As a part of this year’s Fire Prevention Week, the Herald sat down with the Merritt Fire Rescue Department (MFRD) to chat about safety, fire prevention, and escape planning.
The Merritt Fire and Rescue Department (MFRD) is searching for more paid on-call firefighters to join the department, offering a variety of benefits ranging from a positive social environment to possible career advancement opportunities.
FESBC awarded $544,425 LNIBDC to fund their ongoing work at Steffens Estates, a subdivision located north of Lower Nicola Indian Band’s Mameet IR #1, approximately 17 kilometres north of Merritt on Highway 97C.
With the BC Wildfire Service recently announcing their prediction of a more wildfire intensive September than usual, the City of Merritt is reminding homeowners of an available resource to increase the wildfire resiliency of their properties.
As warm and dry conditions are expected to persist throughout the month of September, the provincial government and the British Columbia Wildfire Service (BCWS) are reminding British Columbians to stay Firesmart and remain alert of the threat of wildfires.
Effective at noon on Friday, September 2, campfires will be permitted throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre, including Merritt and the Nicola Valley.
The Merritt Fire and Rescue Department (MFRD) responded to a small fire near a walking path in the afternoon hours of August 22, extinguishing the blaze quickly and preventing any damage to the homes surrounding the area.
A fire broke out at a business in the downtown core on the morning of August 24, with flames visible from the back of the UK Spice Cuisine restaurant on Quilchena Avenue.
The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) is responding to a fire near Monck Provincial Park, just across Nicola Lake from the Upper Nicola Band community of Quilchena. BCWS has confirmed to the Herald that the fire is classified as ‘under control,’ and that attack crews are currently on scene controlling the small blaze.
Although there have recently been a few flash thunder storms, British Columbians should still remain alert to the threat of wildfire for the rest of August as conditions remain hot and dry.
The Herald spoke with the Vice President of Health Initiatives and Program Services at the B.C. Lung Foundation, Dr. Menn Biagtan and discussed what they have learned from last year’s heat dome, the health risks associated with extreme heat and safety tips for the current heat wave the province is experiencing.
