Backpack blitz
Salvation Army prepares for back to school Page A5
NEWS: Langford welcomes hotrod enthusiasts A3 ARTS: Victoria set for Splash in Inner Harbour A10 SPORTS: Belmont grad leads Eagles to BC title A14
GOLDSTREAM
SERVING THE BEST SUSHI ON THE WESTSHORE 250.590.8686
NEWS GAZETTE
737 Goldstream Ave Beside Station House Pub
www.akemisushi.ca
MON - SUN 11:00 am - 9:00 pm DINE IN • TAKE OUT • DELIVERY
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
www.vicnews.com
Highlands folks worry over water
Langford warns of fire risks Charla Huber
Residents living in the picturesque forest surrounding Teanook Lake are starting to worry about the future of their drinking water. Contaminated soil from the Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot started being dumped at Highlands Highwest Landfill on June 17. The landfill is about two kilometres from the homes of concerned residents Neville Grigg and Darlene Sanderson. “This contaminated waste is really scary waste,” said Grigg. Both Highlands residents live on Teanook Lake, which provides their household Charla Huber water. Reporting Grigg’s home has a water filtration system using sand and ultra violet rays. If the chemicals from Highwest Landfill make their way into Teanook Lake he is unsure if the system would filter out the toxins. “We shouldn’t be messing with this stuff,” he said. “The whole aquifer is at risk of being poisonous,” Sanderson said, adding more than 90 per cent of Highland residents are dependent on groundwater. Living so close to the landfill, Grigg is upset he only heard about the Esquimalt Graving Dock remediation project days before the work began. “There was no public consultation and no warning,” he said. The recent flood disaster in Calgary also has Grigg concerned about possible disasters and leaching of the toxins. “If there is a big flood here, immediately adjacent to the landfill is Teanook Creek which feeds into Thetis Lake,” Grigg said.
News staff
Smouldering cigarette butts in bark mulch are a common cause of house fires. Fire Chief Bob Beckett recalls a mulch fire two summers ago that caused $10,000 damage. “Fortunately we caught it before it broke into the house,” Beckett said. “Bark mulch fires are usually a problem from June to September, whenever there isn’t enough rain to keep the beds moist.” Langford Fire Rescue says 60 bark mulch fires have been reported this summer. “This is a drain on fire department resources. The firefighters are volunteers and they are at a mulch fire 3 a.m. and then have to get up and go to their full-time job,” said Lance Caven, Langford fire prevention officer. Cigarette butts are to blame for several fires along Bear Mountain Parkway. Fires range from 20 centimetres to three metres long. “You could drive by a (mulch fire) and never see it. Even wind from a vehicle driving by could cause some loose mulch to blow and turn it into something larger,” Caven explained. The City of Langford and Langford fire are working to identify areas along the parkway causing the most issues and solving the problem. Charla Huber/News staff
Please see: Residents ask for third party study, Page A4
Fire prevention officer Lance Caven, with Langford Fire Rescue, demonstrates how quickly bark mulch can start a fire.
Bob Lane Insurance Services
Where Customer Service is a Priority
“We know our business, we earn yours” Experienced & knowledgeable staff, serving the Westshore for 13 years! BUSINESS • HOMEOWNERS • RV • TENANT • AUTO • MARINE • TRAVEL Installment Plans
115 - 2244 Sooke Road Hatley Park Shopping Centre
250-478-9110
www.boblaneinsurance.com
Please see: Watering can help, Page A9