Homeowners urged to prevent spread of brush fires

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Riverview’s deputy fire chief is urging homeowners to clear up leaves, branches and other combustible materials that could catch fire from flying embers.

“Some people tend to pile their firewood on the side of their house or under their deck, which is not a good idea. We’d like to see firewood in the extended zone, 10 to 30 metres around the house,” Riverview Fire & Rescue deputy chief John Malloy said Thursday.

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Riverview fire station will hold an open house in conjunction with the national FireSmart Wildfire Preparedness Day. The fire department will provide tips and information on preventing wildfires and how to make your home more wildfire resilient.

Malloy said May is typically the highest risk time of year for brush fires and forest fires, as the dry grass, leaves and tree branches are extremely combustible. As small fires spread into trees and grow, the hot glowing embers can rise into the air and travel up to 10 kilometres. If they are still glowing hot when they land in a pile of leaves, they could ignite into a fire that could spread to more trees, homes and buildings.

Riverview and other communities have bylaws governing the use of outdoor fire pits. The rules include having a fire pit on top of a non-combustible platform made of bricks or stone, and a metal screen on top to prevent embers from floating into the air.

The devastation of forest fires and brush fires has been evident across Canada in recent years, with entire communities being destroyed in Alberta and British Columbia. Last year, hundreds of homes were damaged by wildfires in the Halifax area.

Malloy said Saturday’s information sessions are in conjunction with FireSmart New Brunswick. He said the Riverview program was started by former deputy chief Mitch Short, who died in December, 2021.

Riverview has a history of brush fires and wildfires. Several years ago, the department purchased a custom-built brush fire truck complete with its own water tank connected to a nozzle on the front end, which allows firefighters to drive straight at a fire while shooting water at it.

The Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development said in a recent news release that New Brunswick has an average of 246 fires per year. While there were fewer fires last year compared to the annual average, 202 of the 209 were caused by humans and seven were caused by lightning.

“The most impactful things people can do to protect their homes and communities from wildfires are the least expensive,” Roger Collet, a wildfire prevention officer, said in the news release. “Move things like firewood piles and storage sheds at least 10 metres away from your home. Planting fire-resistant plants and shrubs and regularly cleaning up fallen branches, dead leaves, dry grass and needles from the grounds around the home and the home’s roof and gutters can reduce the risk of ignition from a wildfire.”

The FireSmart website at firesmart.ca has many tips and information to prevent fires.