Firefighters in West Kelowna opened the doors to visitors at one of their firehalls Saturday to mark Firesmart Family Day.
Local crews hosted games and activities at Firehall 31, including a dramatic demonstration of how quickly cedar trees can catch fire,
Fire chief Jason Brolund said the annual day allows the public “to see a little more” of what firefighters do, along with spreading the message about what the public can do to protect their homes from wildfires.
“It’s great to see the kids, but what we’re really hoping is that parents leave here with a firesmart message, things they can be doing to protect their home,” Brolund said.
“Our community really understands the fire risks that we face, especially following what happened last year (with the McDougall Creek wildfire).
“But the one thing we did learn is that firesmart works. There are simple things people can do around their homes to make them more resilient to wildfires. And this is about getting that message out.”
Tips on firesmarting your property are available online at FireSmartBC.