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Sentinel
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Northern
Years est. 1954
www.northernsentinel.com
Volume 60 No. 30
Campfire culprit in Kitimat wildfire The Kitimat Fire Department says an unattended campfire is the likely cause of a one hectare wildfire which put at risk the developments at Strawberry Meadows and left downtown blanketed in smoke July 17. The blaze was in challenging geography for the local fire department to reach and after an intial assessment “Equipment and they called the Northpersonnel all west Fire Centre, based in Smithers, for aerial gelled really well, support. and we’re very Water tankers and pleased with the helicopters were imoutcome of the mediately dispatched EOC.” to get the fire under control. Meanwhile heavy machinery was put to use to create fire breaks, to contain the fire if it managed to spread. A fire break is essentially knocking down trees and leaving a fire-fuel free buffer. “We weren’t allowing any members to go in, of our members or their [forest fire] members to go in, just due to certain hazards. The condition of the fire and the speed it was progressing,” said Deputy Fire Chief Pete Bizarro. In all there were about seven air drops with water tankers, while helicopters continued to drop water throughout the evening. Once air support finished ground forest fire fighters went in and took care of hot spots. “Jack [Oviatt] was on site, obviously had lots of equipment. We had a number of excavators working to make these fire guards,” added Bizarro. The fire was also the first activation of Kitimat’s new Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) since they set up in the Public Safety Building in the former council chambers. “Equipment and personnel all gelled really well, and we’re very pleased with the outcome of the EOC,” said Bizarro, saying their new set up proved very useful. As for evacuations, the Lower Dyke area was evacuated but he said there was no imminent danger to campers in the area. “The only reason I initiated that is because of the direction of the wind and the fact it would take some time for those campers to leave,” he said. If an evacuation was needed emergency services, including the fire department and the RCMP, would do a combination door-to-door knocking, loudspeaker service and using local media to alert people of the need to leave, and would establish a place for evacuees to gather. One Kitimat Firefighter did injure his ankle during the event and was treated at hospital and released.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
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1.30 INCLUDES TAX
Kitimat firefighters blast water on a Lillooet Street house which burned down on July 14. The home is effectively gutted but the family of five managed to get out safely. The community meanwhile has rallied behind the home owners in their time of need. See page 3. Cameron Orr
Kitimat Airshed Assessment released Anyone holding their breath over ever seeing the Kitimat Airshed Assessment can breath easier now with its release on Friday. The Government of B.C. commissioned for the study of the impacts of industrial developments to the Kitimat area, but since it finished the government had held on to the document claiming it as Crown privilege. Speaking to reporters Friday Environment Minister Mary Polak said it was always meant to eventually be released publicly. An overview of the report shows that “The airshed can accommodate industrial growth without significantly affecting the health of residents or the environment,” a government Powerpoint presentation says. The study focused primarily on Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) and Nitrgen Diox-
ide (NO2). SO2 is the subject of an environmental permit appeal by two Kitimat residents who feel Rio Tinto Alcan’s post-modernization SO2 emissions are too high. The government study included the possibility of four liquefied natural gas terminals, a proposed oil refinery, gasturbine powered electricity generating facilities, predicted increased shipping along the Douglas Channel, and future expected increases in road and rail traffic. “We want to ensure any potential impacts from industrial air emissions are clearly understood before new projects are approved,” said Polak. As for RTA’s existing permit, the government has no plans to revisit it save for possibilities from the appeal. “We intend to see RTA operate un-
der its existing permit. The appeal will be what the appeal will be and of course we will look to the results of that if there are any changes that need to be made,” she said. “Our intent at this stage is for RTA to operate under their existing permit requirements.” Lis Stannus, one of two Kitimat appellants against the RTA permit, is pleased to see the study finally released, but at over 300 pages she said she’d need time to go over the details. Graphs from the government do show the potential for significant SO2 reductions in the event SO2 scrubbers are used by the smelter. SO2 health risks showed minor (possibly) increases in respiratory incidents of between .5 and two per cent, and risk directly related to proximity to industrial area. Continued on page 12
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Grizzly killed at river campsite ... page 7