Halfmoon Bay firefighters believe the cause of a recent house fire was wood stored too closely to a wood stove.
On Dec. 1, firefighters responded to a call about a fire within a Halfmoon Bay home at 1:36 p.m. In five minutes, two of the first responders were on the scene, where they were able to quickly extinguish the fire before it had the chance to spread beyond one room.
When they got there, heavy smoke was billowing out of the house from one room, Halfmoon Bay Fire Chief Ryan Daley said. He picked a line off his truck, put his gear on and headed inside.
Homeowners, Daley added, should close doors and windows behind them as they evacuate, if they can. There should be no ventilation — don’t feed the fire.
About a dozen Halfmoon Bay firefighters and six more from Sechelt coordinated the structure fire response. Daley said structure fires take at least 16 firefighters to tackle, as they may need a crew going inside, a search crew and back-up crew. If people are inside, a crew needs to be ready to rescue anyone inside who has issues during the fire takedown. Then there’s the fire commanders, traffic controllers and more.
After investigating the fire's cause, the fire department is recommending homeowners make sure to know the proper fuel clearance from their heating devices. Taking wood inside from outside fuel piles is typical this time of year, Daley said, as it needs to dry out before use. He suggests using a firebox to make sure stored supplies don't fall into harm’s way.
As cold winter weather sets in, the department and Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) recommend checking all heating devices and smoke detectors to make sure they are working properly.
For anyone who finds a structure fire, Daley’s advice is simple: “Get out and stay out.” Across Canada this year, more people have been injured or died after trying to fight a fire on their own than in previous years, Daley said. Instead, you should call the fire department, whose members have the equipment and training to efficiently take on a fire. Smoke inhalation should be avoided as much as possible.
“The faster you can call, the faster the help can get started,” Daley said. “Even if we have to stand down and it doesn't turn into a serious event, it's better to get us on the move responding. Don't wait to call 911.”
