The curious moose

Hana and Miro Struss sat quietly in their truck to watch a cow and calf moose. The mom left the scene, then the calf followed, but not before getting a good look at the photographer :)

Enjoy

In contrast to the post earlier this week showing the devastation caused by a group irresponsible individuals, this is what you'll find if you wander down the Gus Johnson trail a little further. A beautiful bench made by John Krawchuck. 

Who does stuff like this?

LOCATION: Big Bay (on the beach with the bench)

DATE: During the weekend -- July 12 and/or 13

FOUND: Save On shopping bag (fabric, new), several empty zip lock bags, aluminum foil, beer cans and bottles, Johnsonville weiners, cigarette butts, folding camping chair, roasting fork.

What you don't see in this collection of images is the photo of the campfire site -- the same location that has been used in the past few weeks. These individuals might be interested in this:

Anyone who causes a wildfire through arson or recklessness may be fined up to $1 million, spend up to three years in prison and be held accountable for associated firefighting costs.

We're watching you.

Campfire Ban

Campfires to be banned within the Kamloops Fire Centre

7/14/2014 3:51 PM

Effective at noon on Wednesday, July 16, all campfires will be prohibited throughout the entire Kamloops Fire Centre. This prohibition will remain in place until the public is notified that it has been rescinded. A map of the area covered by the campfire ban is available online here:See a map This step is being taken to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety. The fire danger rating is currently "high" throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre, with scattered pockets of "extreme". With the current trend of warm and dry weather, wildfires in the region have displayed very aggressive behaviour and required additional fire suppression resources. Human-caused wildfires can divert critical resources and crews from responding to naturally occurring wildfires. Open burning is also prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre. This prohibition applies to open fires of any size, fires with a burn registration number, industrial burning, fireworks, tiki torches, sky lanterns and burning barrels. The prohibition does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to a portable campfire apparatus with a CSA or ULC rating that uses briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, as long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres. The open burning prohibition covers all BC Parks, Crown and private lands, but does not apply within the boundaries of local governments that have forest fire prevention bylaws and are serviced by a fire department. Please check with local governments for any other restrictions before lighting a fire. Anyone found in violation of an open fire ban, including campfires, may be issued a ticket for up to $345. Anyone who causes a wildfire through arson or recklessness may be fined up to $1 million, spend up to three years in prison and be held accountable for associated firefighting costs. To report a violation of the campfire ban within the Kamloops Fire Centre, please call 1 844 NRO-TIPS (1 844 676-8477) or fill out the reporting form at: www.for.gov.bc.ca/hen/nrv/ To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call 1 800 663-5555 or #5555 on your cellphone. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to: www.bcwildfire.ca You can also follow the latest wildfire news -- On Twitter at: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo On Facebook at: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo

Wildfire Management Branch: News Release

Drying trend increases risks in Kamloops Fire Centre

7/11/2014 3:41 PM

KAMLOOPS - The weather in the Kamloops Fire Centre will remain hot and dry for the next seven to 10 days. This increases the potential for wildfires to ignite in a region that's already seeing high temperatures and little precipitation. Due to these conditions, several areas of the Kamloops Fire Centre are experiencing an "extreme" fire danger rating, with the remainder of the region rated as "moderate" to "high". So far this year in the Kamloops Fire Centre, the Wildfire Management Branch has responded to 123 wildfires that have burned over 349 hectares. There are currently over 295 personnel fighting wildfires in the province and 60 of them are working on the 14 active fires in the Kamloops Fire Centre. Current open fire prohibitions for the Kamloops Fire Centre can be viewed online here. Updates on any bans and restrictions will be posted on this site throughout the summer. Since the rest of the province is experiencing similar weather conditions, these fires serve as reminders to everyone to be extremely cautious and vigilant when carrying out industrial activities. Industry personnel need to pay particular attention to the Fire Danger Class rating for their operating area, available at: this link They should also ensure that they use the appropriate weather station data for the area where they are operating and adhere to the shutdown formulas outlined in the Restrictions on High Risk Activities, available online at: this link Remember that if you see or cause a wildfire, you have an obligation to report it, take action with available resources and extinguish it if it's practicable to do so. Please ensure that you carry out industrial operations in accordance with the Wildfire Act and Wildfire Regulation. The Wildfire Management Branch appreciates the continued efforts and co-operation of the forest industry and other stakeholders regarding fire prevention and reporting. This bulletin in provided for general information only and is not to be used for operational planning or to make operational decisions. More information about wildfires in B.C. is available at: www.bcwildfire.ca To report a wildfire, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on your cellphone.  Fire Centre Bulletin 2151

Mailboxes - The Sequel

This time it was Bank 1. RCMP and Canada Post have been notified.

Goose Lake

"Honkers" by Gerry

This recent blog post — whither Goose Lake Road? — by Mel Rothenburger includes some interesting history on the Goose Lake area.

Campfires

A reminder about campfires from the BC Wildfire Management Branch:

Photo https://flic.kr/p/a6LxKd

Although large-scale open burning is now prohibited in many regions of the province, small and
contained campfires are currently permitted in all six of B.C.'s fire centres. Detailed information
about burning restrictions in B.C. are available on the Wildfire Management Branch website here.

Here's some important information about campfire use:

- Always find out if any burning prohibitions are in effect. Check the Wildfire Management
Branch website at: www.bcwildfire.ca
- If campfires are allowed in your area, bring a shovel or keep at least eight litres of water
nearby to properly extinguish your campfire.
- Campfires cannot be larger than 0.5 metres in height and 0.5 metres in diameter.
- Do not light a campfire or keep it burning in windy conditions. Weather can change
quickly and the wind may carry embers to other combustible material and start new fires.
- You must maintain a one-metre fireguard around the campfire. This is a fuel-free area
where all flammable materials (grass, kindling, etc.) have been removed.
- Never leave a campfire unattended.
- Make sure that the campfire is completely extinguished and the ashes are cold to the
touch before leaving the area for any length of time. Also ensure that cigarette butts are
properly extinguished and are not tossed away carelessly.
- You may be held accountable for damages and fire suppression costs if your negligence
results in a wildfire.

So far this season, the Wildfire Management Branch has responded to over 300 wildfires, the
vast majority of which were caused by people. Every human-caused fire is preventable.

This time of year, before wildfire risks increase significantly throughout the province, is an ideal
time for individual homeowners and communities to take simple steps to reduce the potential
impacts of wildfire. Be proactive, be practical and be FireSmart. More information about fire
prevention and the FireSmart program can be found online here.