Activities for November:

One structure fire

One miscellaneous fire

The members of the Keremeos Volunteer Fire department had a very quiet month, with only two incident responses.

On November 15 at approximately 4 a.m., the fire department responded to a structure fire, on Main Street in Olalla. The older 5th wheel travel trailer was fully involved in fire when the fire department arrived. The lone occupant escaped unharmed, but lost everything in the trailer.

The second incident was in Cawston, where a pile of miscellaneous materials went up in flames. Both incidents are under investigation.

Please remember burning is only permitted on good venting days – call before you burn.

Daily venting index:

Phone number  (toll free): 1-888-281-2992 press three when prompted or call Penticton Fire Department and listen to the recording 250-490-2300

Please note:

Morning venting is rarely good – recommended start burn time: 12 noon in the fall – 10 a.m. in the spring.

Morning, afternoon and next day venting index smoke control forecasts are available at:

www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/forecast/textforecast_e.html?Bulletin=flcn39.cwvr

For information on smoke control regulations, visit the B.C. Air Quality – A Guide to the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation website (http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/bcairquality/reports/agttobsc.html).

To report burning of prohibited materials and to report burning on poor venting days,

Please call the Provincial Toll free RAPP hotline: 1-877-952-7277

Your name and number will not be given to the offenders – only the Conservation Officers so that they may phone you if they need more details.

Did you know, emergency service volunteers who participate in 200 hrs per year of training, being on standby and responding to incidents are eligible for a $ 3000 tax credit? Interested in becoming a member of the Keremeos fire department?

Applications can be picked up at the offices of the Village of Keremeos, Similkameen Elementary Secondary School, and the Keremeos Review, or down loaded from the Keremeos fire department website at keremeosfire.ca