Fire worries extend to Vancouver amid prolonged hot, dry weather

As crews work to battle out-of-control wildfires in many regions of British Columbia, Vancouver firefighters are warning the public that conditions in the city are also ripe for disaster.

“Conditions across Vancouver rare exceedingly dry right now. We’ve had a spring without much precipitation and we’ve had historically high temperatures for what seems like months on end — including that extremely hot week last week,” said Capt. Jonathan Gormick with Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services.

The fire danger rating in the city sat at “high” on Saturday, and Gormick said firefighters were worried about the risk from a variety of sources, ranging from generators to barbecues.

However, he said one potential source of ignition had crews particularly worried.

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“The most common cause, and almost the exclusive cause, of fires in the city of Vancouver is improperly discarded smoking material,” he said.

“The (cigarette) butt heats up the surrounding vegetation and then 10 to 20 minutes later is typically when we start to get smouldering fires we’re called to. So the person who tossed it is long gone by then.”

The public is being reminded that smoking is banned in city parks, and that any smoking material should be disposed of in a proper receptacle or portable ashtray.

Throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle or smoking in a park is punishable by a $500 fine.