The Lake Country fire department has a new tool in its arsenal to combat fires this season.

鈥淲e purchased, through the help of a donation from a resident along Nighthawk Road, a large sprinkler unit. His home was one of the houses impacted by the fire,鈥� said fire chief Steve Windsor. 鈥淚t gives us the ability to set up a defendable zone between the interface and homes, so it鈥檚 only good where there are fire hydrants.鈥�

The $35,000 sprinkler will help in the event of a fire where crews have time to set it up and leave it to protect homes, but it wouldn鈥檛 stop a wildfire the size of the one that destroyed eight homes on Nighthawk Road.

鈥淭he fire came through there so quickly鈥� there was no time,鈥� said Windsor.

About 14 fire engines and eight aircraft with tenders, boats and bush trucks battled the blaze that sparked in July, he said.

鈥淲hen you get that high temperature and that steep slope with the wind behind you, there鈥檚 pretty much no stopping it,鈥� said Windsor. 鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping that we don鈥檛 have to use it, but in a situation, if we need to, we鈥檝e got one.鈥�

The wildfire was deemed an arson. Windsor said the department is doing its usual preparation of equipment for the oncoming fire season.

The fire department currently has six full-time employees with 55 paid-on-call employees.

Next week is Emergency Preparedness Week in Canada, from May 6 to 12. Books are available on location at Lake Country鈥檚 fire halls which offer FireSmart tips.

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carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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