Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue

Our hearts are with our colleagues and friends of Coquitlam Search and Rescue. Mike Coyle touch many live in the SAR community and will be greatly missed.

If you’re planning to hike, explore, or adventure in the backcountry this weekend, please PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE FORECAST.

Environment and Climate Change Canada, in partnership with the BC Wildfire Service, has issued a weather notification for increased wildfire activity through Saturday.

The combination of hot temperatures, dry conditions, and thunderstorms means there is an elevated risk of new wildfire starts from lightning, along with strong winds that can rapidly spread existing fires.

High temperatures are also expected this weekend. Heat-related illness and dehydration are among the most common reasons hikers require search and rescue during the summer months.

Bring more water than you think you’ll need, replenish electrolytes on longer hikes, take regular breaks in the shade, and don’t ignore early warning signs such as excessive fatigue, dizziness, nausea, headaches, muscle cramps, or confusion. Once you’re dehydrated, it becomes much harder to recover while continuing your hike.

Thunderstorms are especially dangerous in alpine terrain. If your objective includes exposed ridges or summits, consider changing your plans or choosing a lower-elevation hike. Lightning can strike well ahead of the rain, and if you hear thunder, you’re already close enough to be struck.

🎥 Learn more about lightning safety here:
https://youtu.be/zz2nVOcxaPA?si=MSmAPkV5gac8z0mU

If you’re caught in a thunderstorm:

⛰️ Descend immediately from summits and ridgelines.

❌ Avoid isolated trees, cliff edges, and bodies of water.

↔️ Spread your group out.

⏰ Wait at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder before continuing.

Poor air quality can cause headaches, coughing, eye irritation, and reduced exercise tolerance. Those with asthma or other respiratory conditions should carefully consider reducing strenuous outdoor activity if smoke conditions worsen.

If you see smoke or a wildfire, report it immediately:

BC Wildfire Service

☎️ 1-800-663-5555

📱 *5555 from a cell phone

Stay safe this weekend. Make conservative decisions, HAVE AN EXIT PLAN, and remember that turning around is always the right decision if conditions change.

🎥 Watch our video about hikers trapped by a wildfire 🔥 , see comments for 🔗.



📸 Lions Bay Search and Rescue

Thank you for bringing this up and addressing it Lions Bay Search and Rescue.

We get this after every call as well.
All the questions as to why we are not charging.

This explanation is well said.

Why “Bill Them” Isn’t the Answer
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“They should be charged.”
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“They were stupid.”
“They were negligent.”
“Send them the bill.”
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We hear some version of this after almost every rescue, and it deserves a conversation.
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Search and Rescue in British Columbia does not charge people for rescue—and there are some very important reasons why.
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First, people in genuine distress need to call for help early, without first calculating whether they can afford it.
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As soon as money is involved, things get complicated. We have seen people visiting from the United States run from rescuers and try to hide in the bushes because they believed they would be charged for the rescue.
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That serves no one. It puts the subject in greater danger and makes the rescue more difficult.
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Second, Search and Rescue is treated as a public-safety service.
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We generally do not send someone a bill when firefighters respond to a house fire because they left a pan on the stove. We do not invoice someone for a car crash because they made a driving error.
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The same principle applies to SAR.
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Third, encouraging people to call early ultimately protects rescuers.
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Delayed calls frequently mean night operations, worsening weather, larger search areas and more complex terrain. All of these increase the exposure and risk to SAR members.
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The person who calls early is usually easier—and safer—to rescue than the person who waits until they have no other choice.
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Finally, it is almost impossible to fairly decide who “deserves” a bill.
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Was someone reckless? Inexperienced? Unlucky? Did they receive a bad forecast? Suffer an unexpected injury? Make a simple human error?
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Experienced mountaineers have accidents too.
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Creating a system to investigate, assign blame and potentially litigate responsibility after every rescue would be enormously complicated—and would itself cost money.
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None of this means SAR believes people have no responsibility.
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Our approach is to separate rescue from blame:
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Rescue first. Educate and prevent afterward.
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SAR volunteers spend hundreds of hours speaking at schools, hiking and mountaineering clubs, giving public presentations, sharing lessons from rescues, and encouraging people to use resources such as AdventureSmart.
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We would much rather help people make better decisions before their next trip than make them afraid to call us when something has already gone wrong.
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So yes, sometimes people make poor decisions. Sometimes people are underprepared. Sometimes people make mistakes.
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But when someone is in genuine distress, we want them to call.
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Call early. Call before the situation gets worse. Let us come and help.

Mark your calendars.
July 6th there is another great webinar.

Trip Planning That Works

Your guest speaker is Maria Masiar from Lions Bay Search and Rescue and North Shore Search and Rescue.

Register today!
Free zoom Webinar!

🎙️ Meet our next BC AdventureSmart webinar guest!

We're excited to welcome Maria Masiar from Lions Bay Search and Rescue and North Shore Rescue for our next free Expert Webinar.

Maria is a Search Manager, Rope Rescue Team Leader, Training Officer, Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), and Mountain Rescue specialist with ⭐️ more than 30 years of mountain experience ⭐️ as a climber, skier, and mountaineer. She also serves on BC's Provincial Mountain Rescue Technical Committee, helping advance mountain rescue practices across the province.

During this webinar, Maria will share practical insights into trip planning, group dynamics, and lessons learned from real search and rescue incidents 📊—helping you make better decisions before you head outdoors.

Maria is also an inspiring example of women ♀ in search and rescue, leading by example and encouraging others to get involved and make a difference!

📅 Monday, July 6, 2026
⏰ 7:00–8:00 PM PT
💻 Free Zoom Webinar

Come learn from one of BC's experienced mountain rescue leaders—and help make sure your destination is home.

Register today! https://bcsara.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YRTloTmxTXiriLHj-6ffyA #/registration

Happy Canada Day from Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue 🇨🇦

Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue was tasked out last night to assist two individuals stranded at the north end of Alouette Lake following a jet ski breakdown.

Parents attempted to reach them by boat, but darkness hindered the effort, and RCMP were also unable to locate them. RMSAR was activated just before 0200hrs and proceeded to the lake's north end. Around 0230-0300hrs, RMSAR located the stranded individuals via their fire and safely returned them to the boat ramp. Although the subjects had some supplies, including food, water, and managed to start a fire, they were not adequately prepared for an overnight stay in the rain. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

This incident serves as a reminder to always be prepared when engaging in outdoor activities, anticipate unexpected situations, and inform others of your itinerary.

The team was out on Pitt Lake last night.

Gorgeous evening to do some area familiarization and for the boat operators to have some hands on time.

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Did you know that there are three categories of SAR in BC?

Air Rescue - The responsibility of the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Air Force.

Marine Rescue - The Canadian Coast Guard and the volunteer Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue. They cover 3 oceans and one of the most dangerous coastlines in the world.

Ground and Inland Water Rescue - In BC, GSAR is coordinated through EMBC and operates under the guidelines, policies and procedures set out by them. GSAR teams also cover inland waterways like lakes and rivers.

There are 78 GSAR teams in the province and the teams that are adjacent to waterways invest in specialized equipment and training to be able to respond effectively. We are fortunate to have two big lakes within our boundary, Pitt Lake and Alouette Lake, as well as the Fraser River.

It was great to see so many people out enjoying the lake last night.

If you see us out and about say Hi!

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