OAK BAYNEWS Pops conductor bows out
Sevens get status
Victoria Symphony Orchestra’s principal pops conductor Brian Jackson retires. Entertainment, Page A8
Oak Bay High grad helps Canada gain full status in World Series rugby sevens. Sports, Page A12
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Friday, March 30, 2012
Oak Bay Deputy Fire Chief Dave Cockle inspects the remnants of a beach fire on Willows Beach in Oak Bay. Sharon Tiffin/News staff
Oak Bay firefighters patrol the beach Education key to prevention says deputy fire chief Erin McCracken News staff
With spring weather underway, Oak Bay firefighters have upped their patrols to douse any beach fires they spot. So far, so good. But in a matter of weeks Oak Bay firefighters will be bracing for beach fire season, which fires up in May and continues through the hot, dry summer months of July and August. Youth are sometimes, but not always, to blame for starting fires on Oak Bay’s beaches, in violation of the district’s year-round open-burning ban, which includes beach fires, said Oak Bay Deputy Fire Chief Dave Cockle. “It’s very difficult to manage and control a fire on the
beaches,” he warned. “Once we get a couple weeks of while you’re dealing with a beach very, very dry weather, there is a good risk to spread up fire, and if you have another incident into the foreshore and onto the private property.” then you’ve got Victoria or Saanich on The Oak Bay Fire Department was belatedly con- standby,” Cockle said. ■ The public tacted in recent weeks by a resident about three beach Oak Bay firefighters take a proacis permitted to fires in the King George Terrace area over Christmas. tive approach to educating the public bring their lidded Boards were stripped from a resident’s boat house and about the district’s ban. barbecues to thrown on the fire. Fire prevention officer Capt. Willows Beach. “It ends up with peoKen Gill will speak to Oak Bay “It’s very difficult to ple’s private lawn furniHigh Grade 12 students in May ture getting thrown into manage and control a fire on about the risks of setting beach the fire in order to get the beaches.” fires, among other safety issues. The class visit them started,” Cockle - Deputy Fire Chief Dave Cockle coincides with grad party season. said. “People tend to, The team of firefighters also conducts patrols, after they’ve had a few from May to September. drinks, wander up through people’s properties and “What we do with our crews from May through Septhere’s damage done.” tember is they’ll go out at about 11 o’clock at night and One of the challenges in fighting a beach fire is get- we’ll drive along the beaches and the shores to make ting to it quickly with the appropriate equipment. These sure there are no fires, and if there are, then we put blazes also take up considerable firefighting resources. them out,” Cockle said. “We’ve spotted lots.” “It takes a truck out of service for a period of time emccracken@vicnews.com
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