Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents -A fire broke out at Diamond Bay on Sonora Island, on Thursday, August 12, 2021. It began as a structure fire, but spread into the tinder dry forest. The fire travelled rapidly upslope, threatening 30 other homes in the vicinity. Neighbouring residents converged at Diamond Bay and organized an ad hoc fire control effort. BC Wildfire Service arrived to take command. Four helicopters, a fire response boat and 17 provincial firefighters fought alongside ‘the local Owens Bay Fire Brigade' and by the morning of Sunday, August 15 the fire was officially ‘under control.’
However the Diamond Bay fire prompted some of the surrounding residents to express a desire to see a volunteer fire brigade set up.
As Maurelle Island resident Rob Wood states, in a subsequent Strathcona Regional District (SRD) staff report, “The fire conditions over the past five years have been different than in previous years. With climate change the risk of fire has changed, and we need to consider what we are going to do differently in response.”
The SRD hired Tim Pley and associates to do a feasibility study for an Outer Discovery Islands fire brigade, equipped with pumps and hand tools. They would serve Read Island, Maurelle Island, North Rendezvous Island, and the southern portion of Sonora Island, including Diamond Bay and Owen Bay. The area’s full time population is estimated as 133.
Two of the proposed volunteer crews would be based at Surge Narrows and Evans Bay on Read Island. The third would come from southern Sonora Island, where the fire occurred in 2021.
Approximately $52,000 will be needed for administration, training, equipment another costs in 2023. The amount decreases every year after that, and by 2027 should be under $40,000.
Assuming that local ratepayers are supportive of the proposal, the SRD will hold meetings to discuss costs and cost-sharing options.
An update on this proposal was given at the Wednesday, December 7, SRD Board meeting.
The Outer Discovery Islands is in Area C, whose Regional Director is Robyn Mawhinney.
She asked,”I understand that the outer discovery islands community has been surveyed for feedback and interest following the study. And I'm curious if there's a timeline for receiving that report, or if there's anything to add about the survey.”
SRD Emergency Coordinator Shaun Koopman replied, “We're all ding to have that report back to the second meeting in January at the latest. The survey response deadline was this Friday, we've got about 80 responses, 30 that were physically mailed back 50 that were submitted online. So about a 45% community turnout rate.”
If approved, the Outer Discovery Islands Fire Brigade may become a reality as early as next year.
