South Green Lake Volunteer Fire Department

Sprinklers can save homes/cottages in a wildfire incident

After people, who live in the Wildland Urban Interface – where their homes are beside or close to forests or grasslands – have FireSmarted their property and the buildings on it, they should consider installing the last line of defence.

They could install a sprinkling system that will provide a moisture barrier around their homes, cottages and outbuildings.

Having an activated sprinkler system could make the difference between saving your home and/or cottage as well as all of of the memorabilia and other valuables inside of them.

South Green Lake Volunteer Fire Department (SGLVFD) trainer Del Westfall says sprinkler systems do save homes.

“It’s a proven fact that sprinklers can save your house. When I went to the Hutchinson Subdivision after the [2017 Elephant Hill] wildfire went through there, you could see where the wildfire burned up to the foundations of the homes that had sprinkler systems and the homes weren’t touched.

“So it is a proven fact that sprinklers will help in a wildland fire as long as they are activated.”

Westfall says sprinklers do that by putting humidity in the air, thereby cooling the air and dampening the ground and the roof.

However, a sprinkler system is only as good as your supply of water.

Folks who live along the shore line of Green Lake have an abundant supply of water, so they just have to pump the water to their sprinkler systems.

Residents, who live on the off-shore side of the lake, will likely get their water supply from their wells.

Unfortunately, well water wouldn’t be available if the hydro power isn’t available.

However, South Green Lake off-shore resident George Macfarlane has found a way to have an adequate water supply for his home-made sprinkler system even if Hydro is knocked out during a wildfire incident.

Macfarlane says he decided to build his own sprinkler system when he visited Pressy Lake after the Elephant Hill wildfire tore through the lakeside community destroying homes and cottages. Unfortunately, the property owners didn’t have activated sprinkler systems when the wildfire went through, he notes.

Macfarlane says he decided he needed to set up a sprinkler system because the 2017 wildfire was only five minutes away when it roared past his South Green Lake property.

He started by purchasing four, 200-Canadian-gallon carbuoys (rigid containers) and some flexible hose to connect them. These containers can be connected to each other to provide a significant amount of water for the sprinklers and only need to be drained before winter to avoid freezing.

He helped the SGLVFD firefighters build some sprinklers during the 2017 wildfire season, which the fire department made available to community members.

Macfarlane built four of his own three-foot tall yard sprinklers to protect his home and property.

He didn’t build roof-top sprinklers because he has a metal roof. He will use one yard sprinkler to provide a moisture barrier for his house and garage, and place the three other

yard sprinklers near his property line to provide a moisture barrier between his back yard and the Crown wildland.

He says there is a large fuel load out back of his property and believes that’s where the fire would come through.

Macfarlane purchased a firefighting high-pressure pump with accessories from Princess Auto on the Lower Mainland. He says it came with everything he needed build the water supply system, but adds folks who want to build a sprinkler system should get started on it now because parts – such as connectors and hose fittings – can be hard to come by.
The good thing about the pump system that Macfarlane purchased from Princess Auto is the components are 100 per cent compatible with the Ministry of Forests and SGLVFD fittings.

Macfarlane says it cost him around $1,400 to build his system, but he only paid half price for the pump.

“I recommend to anyone wanting to put this system together to give me a call at either 604-219-0469 or 604-591-3246 and I will render any assistance I am able to supply.”

Meanwhile, SGLVFD firefighters are willing to make up some sprinkler systems for South Green Lake residents, and they are offering a five-sprinkler package of two rooftop sprinklers and three ground sprinklers for $60 per sprinkler.

However, folks will have to pre-order a sprinkler system before July 15 before the firefighters will start building them.

The South Green Lake residents can pick up their sprinklers and pay their bills at the Fire Hall (546 Green Lake South Rd.) on July 31 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Anyone else who didn’t pre-order and wants a sprinkler system can show up at the Fire Hall on July 31 from 1 to 3 p.m. and they can order a set.

Anyone with questions or wants to order some sprinklers can contact Del Westfall at home at 250-456-2267; cell at 778-378-9013, or by e-mail at lindawestfall@hotmail.com