Jul 27, 2021

Town encourages residents to be ‘water smart, fire aware’ during ongoing drought

The Town of Ladysmith is encouraging local residents to be ‘water smart, and fire aware’ ahead of the BC Day long weekend as we continue to experience severe drought conditions which pose a serious risk to our natural environment.

Due to this extended period of hot dry weather and increased fire danger in our area, Stage 3 Water Restrictions continue to be in effect for the Town of Ladysmith, Diamond Improvement District and Stz’uminus First Nation.

The Town took this proactive step with our Cowichan region partners, effective Friday, July 16, 2021, to ensure the ongoing availability of water in the event of a wildfire. 

A fire ban also remains in effect for our area, including restrictions on all campfires, fireworks, tiki and similar kinds of torches, chimineas and the use of other items that pose the potential of causing a serious fire incident.

“Ladysmith Fire/Rescue continues to receive complaints about campfires and the use of burning pits which are strictly prohibited right now by the BC Wildfire Service,” said Fire Chief Chris Geiger. “The hot and dry conditions mean potential ignition sources are everywhere and respecting this ban, especially as we head into the holiday long weekend, is helping to keep our community safe.”

The current fire danger level for Ladysmith and the surrounding area is classified as ‘Extreme’, meaning new fires will start easily, spread rapidly and challenge fire suppression efforts.

Visit the BC Wildfire Service website for the latest information, including the BC Wildfire Dashboard, Wildfire Prevention, Wildfires of Note and resources for EmergencyInfo BC.

Make every drop count

In direct response to the serious threat posed by soaring temperatures and limited precipitation, the Cowichan Valley Regional District has activated a Regional Emergency Operations Centre for drought planning and monitoring purposes.

Locally, Stage 3 Water Restrictions are helping to decrease consumption demand and allow us to conserve water for when we need it the most. However, we need the whole community on board to do this effectively.

Due to limited precipitation at this time of year and less water flowing through the watershed, lake levels decline with every turn of the tap – that’s why we all need to make every drop count.

You can do your part to conserve water in the following ways, by:

  • * Not watering/sprinkling your lawn;
  • * Not washing your vehicle, boat, RV, trailer or house;
  • * Avoid washing driveways and sidewalk; and
  • * Not filling your pool.

 

All of these actions are requirements under Stage 3 Water Restrictions and are enforceable by fine if property owners are found to be non-compliant.  Instead, take pride in your ability to aggressively conserve water and keep our lake levels as high as possible.

Check out this new interactive virtual tour of Ladysmith’s watershed to learn more about how water arrives at your home and/or business from our lakes.

For the latest news and updates, visit the Town’s website at www.ladysmith.ca, as well as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also receive up-to-date information in your email inbox by subscribing to the Town’s newsletter.