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Wildfire Community Preparedness Day observed this Saturday | iNFOnews.ca — Kelowna Fire Department has been granted permission by council to stage a controlled burn in McKinley Landing. Photographer: Jennifer Stahn

Wildfire Community Preparedness Day observed this Saturday

May 06 2016 07:51 AM

PENTICTON – This weekend the provincial government is encouraging residents of the South Okanagan and Similkameen to learn more about a topic on everyone’s minds these days.

Residents are being asked to observe Saturday, May 7 as national Wildfire Community Preparedness day by educating themselves how they can help protect their families and communities from wildfire threats.

FireSmart Canada has organized the day, producing an updated version of the FiresSmart Homeowner’s Manual and making it available online.

Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is a timely reminder that we should do whatever we can to help mitigate wildfire risks in and around our communities.

The advice echoes that given by Penticton Deputy Fire Chief Dave Spalding who urges Penticton residents to take steps to make their properties fire smart.

The manual is available for downloading on the BC Wildfire Service website.

Wildfires are a fact of life in the province. In recent years, the fire season has been starting earlier and lasting longer.

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Contributed/Government of B.C.
Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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