View Royal Fire Rescue

On Sunday September 13 and Monday September 14, the View Royal FireSmart Program hosted a Free Mobile Chipping Event for residents north of Thetis Lake and the Riverside Drive neighbourhood as well as the Chilco Road area and Francis View Drive neighbourhood to remove debris from their properties and help reduce their risk of wildfire.

The View Royal FireSmart Program Mobile Chipping Events continue to grow. In total, a record 76 homes participating in the event. With this cleanup, an record 42 cubic yards of debris was chipped and removed. Helping to mitigate the wildfire risk in our community.

Thanks so much to all the residents who participated and to our amazing partners at Ocean West Tree Service for their hard work.

If you would like to learn more about our FireSmart program and how you can reduce your home’s risk to wildfire, checkout www.viewroyal.ca/firesmart
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💻 www.viewroyal.ca/firesmart
📞 250.479.7322
✉️ [email protected]

Today, we remember the lives lost and the courage of those first responders who risked everything in service of others.

Your strength, bravery, and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

We Remember. 9/11

The first day of school is here on the West Shore! 🚸📚

Please slow down, stay alert and give yourself a little extra time. Watch for students crossing the road, follow posted speed limits and be especially mindful around school zones and drop-off areas.

Let’s work together to make sure everyone gets to school safely! 🎒

Back to School with FireSmart

The new school year is just around the corner. Students are busy sharpening pencils and labeling supplies. Teachers are preparing their classrooms and lesson plans.

One of the best ways to be FireSmart is to start young. The FireSmart BC Education Program is a free all-in-one teaching resource to introduce students in grades K-12 to FireSmart concepts, including how to make homes and communities more resilient to wildfire. Resources are interactive, inclusive, and purposefully aligned with the BC school curriculum, making them easy to teach and fun to learn!

Check out the FireSmart BC Education Program at firesmartbc.ca/educationprogram. For a great introduction to the program, check out this short video vimeo.com/874849878

View Royal teachers, email us at [email protected] to book your class for a free FireSmart education session this fall.

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💻 www.viewroyal.ca/firesmart
📞 250.479.7322
✉️ [email protected]
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Effective tomorrow, Friday August 28, at noon PDT the Off Road Vehicle (ORV) prohibition is rescinded in the Southeast, Cariboo, Coastal and Kamloops Fire Centres.

We recognize that ORVs play an important role in recreation, hunting and accessing the outdoors for many. Restrictions are only considered when multiple factors indicate an elevated wildfire risk, heightened wildfire activity and limited capacity to respond to new fire starts.

With improving conditions in some regions of B.C., and cooler wetter weather in the forecast we are now able to rescind these prohibitions. We continue to monitor wildfire risk and prohibitions may be implemented or rescinded as conditions change.

We appreciate the patience and cooperation shown by ORV users during this period. We know many riders take fire prevention seriously and recreate responsibly on established roads and trails. If you're returning to the backcountry, we ask for your support in reporting any new wildfires through our app or by calling *5555.

For more information: https://blog.gov.bc.ca/bcwildfire/category/information-bulletins/

BC has ENDED the State of Provincial Emergency, effective Aug. 27, due to wildfire.There is no impact to existing States of Local Emergency, Evacuation Orders or Evacuation Alerts.

More information on current Evacuation Orders and Alerts: emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca

While the State of Provincial Emergency is ending, wildfire season is not over.

The province will continue to respond to the wildfire situation and support impacted communities.

Residents and visitors in B.C. are urged to:
• Stay prepared and be ready for changing conditions.
• Follow the direction of local authorities, including any Evacuation Orders and Alerts.
• Check conditions before travelling and follow directions from officials.
Safety reminders:
• Check BC Wildfire Service, EmergencyInfoBC, and DriveBC before heading out.
• Follow any local Evacuation Orders/Alerts and directions from officials.

LAST UPDATED: 3:40 pm, Thursday, August 27, 2026

The fire danger rating in View Royal is EXTREME and there are over 150 active wildfires currently burning across the province.

Take time now to prepare for a wildfire and ensure your home is FireSmart.

You can request your FREE FireSmart Wildfire Mitigation Home Assessment at www.viewroyal.ca/firesmartassessment or email [email protected].

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💻 www.viewroyal.ca/firesmart
📞 250.479.7322
✉️ [email protected]

🔥 When it comes to wildfires, small changes around your home can make a big difference.

Embers, which are small pieces of burning debris carried by wind and the energy of a wildfire, can travel kilometres ahead of a fire.

When they land, embers can ignite combustible materials on or near a home. Once structures or surrounding materials begin to burn, they can generate even more embers that travel further into a community.

Simple actions can dramatically increase your home and property’s resistance to wildfire. Start with the areas that matter most, your home itself and the first few metres around it, and work your way outward.

🍂 Clear leaves, needles and other debris from around your home, decks and gutters
🪵 Move firewood and other combustible materials away from structures
🌿 Maintain vegetation around your home and remove dead or dry material
🏠 Look for places where embers could collect or enter your home

You don’t have to do everything at once. Each FireSmart action helps make your property and community more resilient.

Not sure where to start? Check out FireSmart BC, or the FireSmart Begins at Home Guide which walks you through practical steps you can take around your property: https://begins-at-home-guide.firesmartbc.ca/

What causes wildfires in B.C.? Here’s the breakdown according to our 10-year average from 2016 - 2025:

• Lightning: ~60%
• Category 2, 3 Open Fire: ~8.1%
• Category 1 Campfire: ~6.5%
• Vehicle: ~3.9%
• Arson or suspicious: ~3.8%
• Miscellaneous: ~3.5%
• Electrical distribution or infrastructure: ~3%
• Equipment use: ~2.1%
• Railroad: ~1.1%
• Smoking substances: ~0.8%
• Undetermined: ~7.1%

When conditions are hot, dry and windy, a small ignition can quickly become a wildfire. Most human-caused wildfires are preventable. Please do your part.

Follow prohibitions and restrictions:
https://www.gov.bc.ca/fireprohibitions

Get FireSmart:
https://firesmartbc.ca/

Film Screening: “The Test” Wildfire Documentary

Join us for a screening of the film “The Test” on Thursday August 20th from 6:30pm - 8:30pm at the View Royal Fire Department. Popcorn, snacks and refreshments will be provided.

The film screening will also include valuable information on wildfire preparedness provided by the View Royal FireSmart Program.

Event Overview:
“The Test” is a documentary based on a true story and explores the 2021 Tremont Creek wildfire and its impact on the community of Logan Lake, BC.

The Town of Logan Lake spent 18 years preparing for a wildfire they hoped would never come. And then, in the summer of 2021, it did. The Test is the story of the Town of Logan Lake's efforts to make their community more fire resilient, eventually becoming the first FireSmart community in Canada. But when the 2021 Tremont Creek Wildfire roared toward them, all eyes were on the little community as nobody knew if all of that work would pay off and if they would pass the test.

Date/Time: Thursday August 20th, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: View Royal Fire Department (333 Island Highway)
Cost: FREE (sponsored by the View Royal FireSmart Program)

Book Your Seat: 250.479.7322 or [email protected]

To learn more about what you can do to reduce the risk of wildfire to your home and your community, check out www.viewroyal.ca/firesmart.

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💻 www.viewroyal.ca/firesmart
📞 250.479.7322
✉️ [email protected]