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‘We all stand to lose’: Quadra Islanders air fire concerns in their fight for better fire protection

Quadra Island residents want tougher fire restrictions and rules that apply equally to the entire island.
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Quadra Islanders want better fire protection to avoid a large wildfire such as this one that broke out in the Caribou region. Photo by BC Wildfire Service

Quadra Island residents want tougher fire restrictions and rules that apply equally to the entire island.

Quadra resident Dalyce Dogterom, who represents 523 Quadra Islanders who signed a petition in support of preventing wildfires on the island, said part of the problem is that the island has two separate mandates for fire prevention. Part of the island is administered by the South Quadra Improvement District while North Quadra falls under the Ministry of Forests.

“One set of standards would make sense,” Dogterom said. “Quadra Island is extremely vulnerable to wildfire, human-caused or otherwise. A wildfire anywhere on the island has potential to affect everyone.”

The petition signed by residents asks the Strathcona Regional District, which governs Quadra Island, to look into options for developing one uniform set of fire prevention regulations.

Residents also want stricter rules and regulations around burning.

“While collecting signatures there were many fire stories, and at times, overwhelming expressions of concern and fear of the island burning,” Dogterom said.

She said residents are suggesting several recommendations to address concerns among islanders. These include: determining a fire hazard rating on Quadra; banning campfires in the summer; extending the prohibition of campfires to North Quadra Island; putting an end to the backyard burning season by the end of March; implenting strict no fire policies for unsupervised vacation rentals; and enforcing maximum fines for careless disposal of cigarettes and for disregarding campfire bans.

Dogterom said she would also like to see a better working relationship established with the Coastal Fire Centre.

“We all stand to lose if a fire takes hold,” she said. “With more people living, working and playing on the island, and with hotter, drier, windier conditions in the summer, we need to act now.”

Campbell River Director Larry Samson, who is a former fire chief, said there are a number of things Quadra – and the regional district – can do.

“You can have mutual aid agreements with Coastal Fire Service, but there is going to be a delay in getting to Quadra,” said Samson, adding there are also bylaw enforcement tools that can be used.

Quadra Director Jim Abram thanked Dogterom for all of her work, which he said “was considerable.”

He agreed with Samson that there are options but said it comes down to the island needing the Quadra Fire Department to be able to extend its coverage area.

“We also need better coverage for our fire department and our fire department is great, we have a highly efficient, gung-ho fire department that will do anything, however, they have their limits because they are a protective service and cannot go over the boundary,” Abram said.

In the end, the regional district decided to hold off on taking any action until the petition – which was sent to the Quadra Fire Department Board of Trustees – pending the outcome of the presentation to the fire trustees which meet on Sept. 14.