Fire Bans
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
by Casey Cuddy, Fire Chief, CEMC
Addington Highlands (Kaladar / Barrie & Denbigh) Fire Departments
72 Edward St., Flinton
613-336-9780
What goes into the decision on implementing or lifting a fire ban?
Although the inputs are fairly complex, it ultimately comes down to assessing risk based on several factors.
The Fire Weather Indices (FWI) are an indicator of fire behavior on any given day.
The FWI is weather-based, beginning with winter snowpack conditions and updated daily using observed weather and the day’s forecast as the season progresses. The weather data input generates a series of numerical indicators such as drought codes, fine fuel moisture codes, duff moisture codes, and Initial spread index, on different forest types. This, combined with the current weather conditions, all contribute to the FWI. The signs one sees along the roads with a needle pointing to “low”, “moderate”, “high”, or “extreme” are based on this information and are accurate, assuming they are being properly updated and maintained.
FWI is the largest contributing factor in considering a fire ban; however, there are several other factors considered, such as;
The fire department’s commitment level is based on the availability of firefighters and equipment/resources on any given day. Sometimes the department can be busy or committed to a prolonged event.
The commitment levels of neighboring fire departments are also taken into account, as we participate in a mutual aid program in which departments support one another under specific circumstances. Available accessible water sources are a consideration as drought codes can impact water supply.
The frequency of new fires, and how they respond to suppression efforts, both within our coverage area and in nearby regions, is also considered.
It is acknowledged that opinions on outdoor fires vary—some people oppose them, while others value campfires, cooking fires, ceremonial fires, and similar uses for a range of reasons.
The social and economic costs weigh a small amount in the decision, but it is considered part of the overall risk assessment.
The cost of enforcing a fire ban and numerous false or nuisance calls is also considered. Historically, call volume increases, often burning out firefighters with nuisance calls during a fire ban, making them less available for serious calls, along with people’s behavior. It is well known in the fire service that a “properly” set up, maintained, and extinguished campfire does not contribute to forest fires. The fires that are of concern are those not properly set up or are a poor attempt to extinguish them, leaving the fire with the opportunity to burn underground or spread unattended.
The latter often is a result of drug or some other impairment, and history has shown that fire bans do not have any impact on their behavior.
Most wildfires are still primarily caused by natural factors like lightning, human activities such as rail operations, working and recreating in forested areas, and lapses in fire safety practices.
Consultation with the MNRF fire techs on the fire behavior they are seeing and the availability of MNRF resources is part of the process. Neighboring Fire Chiefs consult with each other to see how conditions are impacting them and what they think about a district-wide fire ban. A broader fire ban is easier to communicate and avoids situations where one side of a highway permits campfires while the other does not.
The Provincial Park superintendent is also consulted to help maintain consistency in fire restrictions. FWI and weather conditions can vary over a small geographical area. For example, in the spring, we can see grass fires in the Northbrook area while there is still snow on the ground in Denbigh. The Fire Chief of North Frontenac and the Fire Chief of Addington Highlands discuss all the above factors. In an effort to keep things consistent, if we implement or lift a fire ban, it is for the entire Townships of Addington Highlands and North Frontenac.
While this scratches the surface, it reveals the complexities and the hard data that are used to determine the need for a fire ban.
Background:
The author brings 45 years of experience in the fire service, including nine early years fighting wildland fires. During that time, he served as a fire warden for Barrie Township and worked as an S200 firefighter with the Ministry of Natural Resources before joining the municipal fire department. He also spent several seasons as an MNR fire crew boss, focusing on the study and prediction of wildfire behavior.
Comments