With recent dry weather a potential sign of a dry summer to come, emergency personnel are holding a wildfire-training exercise Wednesday in Central Saanich that includes a simulated evacuation — although no one will actually be required to leave.
About 50 personnel from the Saanich Peninsula will be involved in the 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. exercise in the area of Alec Road, which borders John Dean Provincial Park — considered one of the higher-risk sites for wildfire in the area.
Central Saanich Fire Chief Kenn Mount said it’s the first such widespread effort in the municipality, and it’s timely “given the conditions that are out there in the province.”
So far, there’s been a lot of interest in participating he said, adding the fact that wildfires have been making provincial news has made the public more aware of the risk. “It’s more real for people.”
During the exercise, firefighters from Central Saanich and North Saanich will go door-to-door with information packages for residents as part of the simulated evacuation.
Also participating will be Central Saanich police, the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP and search-and-rescue volunteers from the Peninsula Emergency Measures Organization.
Traffic on Alec Road will be controlled by Central Saanich staff, who will be at the foot of Alec Road, on West Saanich Road and on Mount Newton Cross Road. Traffic advisories will be posted, and non-essential traffic on Alec Road during the exercise will be discouraged.
Central Saanich FireSmart co-ordinator Ryan Vantreight, who works with residents in the municipality and in the Tsawout and Tsartlip First Nations, said his role — which is new to the municipality — is to let people know how to reduce wildfire risk.
That includes eliminating potential fuel for a fire by keeping grass cut and yards free of debris, and not piling wood against the house, said Vantreight, a firefighter who has been deployed in previous years to help with wildfires around Kelowna and Keremeos.
“There are simple things that people can do to really reduce the risk — even cleaning the gutters is a huge one,” said Vantreight, adding one of his duties is to assess homes for fire risk and recommend preventive measures.
The “mock scenario” will not only put emergency personnel’s training to the test, it will also give the community an idea of what to expect in the event of a wildfire that puts structures at risk, Vantreight said.
“They can also rest assured that we do have a plan and have things in place,” he said.
And since it is a multi-agency effort, the lessons learned will have benefits well beyond just the Central Saanich Fire Department, he said.
Residents who consent to have their property used for activities during the exercise are asked to contact [email protected].
A public meeting to discuss how the exercise went will be held June 28 at 7 p.m. at Fire Station 1, 1512 Keating Cross Rd.
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