Outdoor Fire Prevention Message from the Garrison Petawawa Fire Department

With the onset of fall, the Garrison Fire Department would like to remind everyone the importance of fire prevention outdoors.

Each spring the Garrison Fire Department conducts prescribed burning to ensure hazard reduction of its training area prior to each summer.

The purpose of this is to remove the accumulated dry fuels to decrease the potential of wildland fires as well as reducing the intensity of fires should they occur under high fire hazard conditions.

It is important that all fires discovered be reported immediately to ensure they are contained at a small size and to prevent an uncontrolled wildfire from developing.

With regards to campfires, it is important that a responsible person remains with the fire at all times, the fire kept small and should be ignited only when authorized to do so.

Always keep in mind that the fire should be a safe distance from combustible materials and ignited under light winds. Sparks or embers from a fire can travel great distances and possibly ignite additional fires.

Please ensure all campfires are to be completely extinguished prior to leaving the site or left unattended.

Suppression equipment such as water, shovels, and rakes should always be on hand while conducting any burning. It is always important to have the contact number for the fire department if necessary and to do any burning late in the day when the humidity is high, temperature is low, and the winds are light.

As the fall progresses, drought conditions also become a factor since many fires will burn much deeper in the ground, increasing the time commitment and resources to extinguish these fires.

Grasslands which are now green and lush will again dry out with the effects of drought later in the fall and once again become susceptible to fire.

The Fire Department hopes everyone has a safe, happy fall and please be responsible when dealing with fires.