THURSDAY
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APRIL 3, 2014
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Vol. 119, Issue 53
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PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
Spring sparks new weather warning
Firefighters respond to grass fire on Station Road BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
The first real taste of spring could come as early as next week when the mercury rises as high as 20 C, according to local forecaster Ron Lakeman. But with the change in seasons comes a change in warnings from the Southeast Fire Centre in Castlegar concerning outdoor burning activities.
“What happens in early spring is that it takes a couple of weeks to go from brown grass to green. During this transition the material is very flammable and will sustain a fire.” RON LAKEMAN
Warm temperatures and rapid snow melt uncovers dried grass from last year, which is highly flammable material that can easily spark a wildfire. “What happens in early spring is that it takes a couple of weeks to go from brown grass to green,” Lakeman said. “During this transition the material is very flammable and will sustain a fire.” Local firefighters saw that first hand on Tuesday on Station Road. The property owner was clearing brush and burning a very small fire, when unexpected wind spread flames to a low lying grass area near the mountainside. A “freak” gust of wind blew up in the valley, according to Terry Martin, Kootenay Boundary fire chief. “The homeowner was doing nothing wrong,” he added. “It’s just that time of year, no different than any other year, but everything is dry and the surface fuel burns fast.” Weather conditions can change quickly and wind can carry embers
DOLBY 7.1 SURROUND SOUND
to combustible materials, so the fire chief reminds residents to ensure adequate water and tools are on hand to control fires and prevent flames from escaping. To date, regional fire rescue has been called out twice by homeowners to extinguish burning grass. The first incident was in Genelle two weeks ago. Residential properties in Area A and Area B are governed by the centre’s open burning policies, which allow small fires of twigs, grass, leaves and other combustible materials. The City of Trail and Village of Fruitvale have a ban on all burning; while the Village of Warfield does not require permits for open burning from Nov. 1 to April 30. Homeowners may be eager to get a jump on spring cleanup thanks to a warm welcome into spring. April escorted the region’s winter out like a lamb, with the first few days of the month ushering in warmer than usual temperatures accompanied by sunny skies. Although some cloud cover and a chance of showers is expected by tonight (Thursday), the weekend could shape up with very warm temperatures expected for Sunday. “There is optimism with a big ridge of high pressure on the way,” said Lakeman. “With sunny, mild weather and temperatures into the upper teens and higher.” The mild weather follows a winter that was nothing out of the norm. Arctic outbreaks froze Greater Trail with record cold temperatures during the first few months of the year, but the rest of the season was unremarkable. “Compared to what you saw on the news coming from anywhere east of the Rockies where the weather was cold and eventful,” said Lakeman. “West of the Rockies we were spoiled to a certain degree this winter.” Although March roared in with one last snowstorm over the first three days and the coldest day, -10 C recorded on March 2, the rest of the month brought mostly rain and average daily temperatures.
HIGH FRAME RATE 3D
COMMUNITY STARTS TO BLOOM
ART HARRISON PHOTO
Sunningdale resident, Lois Palmer, took advantage of the sunshine Wednesday morning to clean up some of her flower beds and give her crocuses a little more space to grow.
Canada Post changes concern MP, union BY ART HARRISON Times Staff
Some of the changes proposed by Canada Post, both those underway and those being considered, are raising red flags for B.C. Southern Interior MP, Alex Atamanenko, and Ed Evans, president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), Local 842. Atamanenko recently wrote a letter to Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport and the minister responsible for Canada Post, (Trail Times Letter to the
Editor, March 28,) outlining his concerns with the opening of a franchise postal outlet in Osoyoos directly across the street from an existing post office. In the letter he also raises concerns about a similar “high traffic dealership outlet” proposed for Rossland that would also see 1.5 full-time positions eliminated at the existing post office installation in the Golden City. “I think they’re on the road to privatization, that we’ll see
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them close our post offices and turn them into private outlets,” said Atamanenko. “My fear is that what I’ve seen in Osoyoos will continue,” he added. However, Canada Post has a somewhat different perspective on the process and says that any changes to service in Rossland are only in the investigative phase at this point. “We have a whole process which begins with union notification. See LOSS, Page 3
Contact the Times: Phone: FineLine250-368-8551 Technologies 62937 Index 9 Fax:JN250-368-8550 80% 1.5 BWR NU Newsroom: 250-364-1242 Canada Post, Contract number 42068012