Close X
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. Fire Crews' Radio Equipment 'Deliberately' Vandalized: Officials

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 05 Aug, 2016 01:17 PM
    CASTLEGAR, B.C. — Wildfire officials say vandals near Creston, B.C., have destroyed crucial radio equipment used to keep firefighters safe.
     
    Someone broke into a radio communication tower at the top of the Thompson Rim Trail sometime between July 29 and Aug. 2 and deliberately destroyed all of the equipment inside, said fire information officer Carlee Kachman.
     
    "It put the safety of firefighting personnel at risk," she said.
     
    Fire crews in remote areas use the communications technology to stay in touch with the fire centre, aircraft and other staff.
     
    "It's a vital part to ensuring the safety of our firefighting crews and ensuring the protecting of the public and of infrastructure," Kachman said.
     
    This isn't the first time the site's equipment has been damaged, she said, but this time the electronics have been vandalized beyond repair.
     
    The B.C. Wildfire Service is now looking for a new location for the tower, but the replacement will take several months and cost between $80,000 and $100,000, Kachman said.
     
    For now, the wildfire officials have created a temporary patch to keep in touch with crews in the area.
     
    Provincial fire crews faced an early and aggressive fire season this year, as hot, dry conditions fuelled a number of blazes in May and early June, particularly in northeastern B.C.
     
    Cooler weather and rain have created a downturn in fire activity recently, but fire officials are still warning the public to be vigilant about fire.
     
    The B.C. Wildfire Service said in a release that crews responded to dozens of abandoned campfires around the province over the long weekend, including 32 in the southeast fire centre, the region where the radio communications tower was destroyed.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Customers, Especially Millennials, Driving Changes To Beef Industry Standards

    Customers, Especially Millennials, Driving Changes To Beef Industry Standards
    When Ben Campbell heard Earls was switching to Certified Humane beef from the U.S., he had a different reaction than many Alberta ranchers.

    Customers, Especially Millennials, Driving Changes To Beef Industry Standards

    Two Shooting Incidents In Surrey In Less Than 24 Hours

    Two Shooting Incidents In Surrey In Less Than 24 Hours
    The car was riddled with bullet holes, and one person was taken to hospital. His condition is unknown.

    Two Shooting Incidents In Surrey In Less Than 24 Hours

    Baba Hardev Singh's Last Rites In Delhi On Wednesday

    Baba Hardev Singh's Last Rites In Delhi On Wednesday
    Last rites of spiritual leader and Sant Nirankari Mission head, Baba Hardev Singh, who died in a road accident in Canada on Friday, will be performed here on Wednesday, a mission release said.

    Baba Hardev Singh's Last Rites In Delhi On Wednesday

    Bid To Ban Applause In B.C. Legislature Rejected With Rousing Ovation

    VICTORIA — It was the loudest cheer of her political career. Too bad she was calling for silence.

    Bid To Ban Applause In B.C. Legislature Rejected With Rousing Ovation

    Fundraiser Held For B.C. Woman Who Wants Justin Trudeau's Help In Getting Her Kids Back

    Fundraiser Held For B.C. Woman Who Wants Justin Trudeau's Help In Getting Her Kids Back
      Alison Azer's four children — Sharvahn, Rojevahn, Dersim and Meitam — are believed to be with their fugitive father, a noted B.C. doctor.  

    Fundraiser Held For B.C. Woman Who Wants Justin Trudeau's Help In Getting Her Kids Back

    Kamloops, B.C. Law Students Create App That Could Save Court Time And Money

    Kamloops, B.C. Law Students Create App That Could Save Court Time And Money
    The app, called Summons, works with mobile devices to connect court registries, the public and lawyers.

    Kamloops, B.C. Law Students Create App That Could Save Court Time And Money