Vernon Firefighters are issuing an important reminder after crews responded to a grass fire in the Foothills area over the long weekend.
On April 12, at approximately 9:30 pm, Firefighters were called to a grass fire in a ravine near Copper Mountain Court. Upon arrival, they found an area with about 20x30 feet of grass burning, which was quickly extinguished. Multiple homes were within a short distance of the grass fire.
The cause of the fire was a sky lantern landing in the grass.
Vernon Fire Rescue Services would like to remind the public that the use of sky lanterns in the City of Vernon is prohibited. Sky lanterns are an uncontrollable fire hazard. Once lit, they can travel over 2km. They have been responsible for large fires in both urban and wildland settings.
“The risk posed by these lanterns is obvious,” said Deputy Fire Chief Scott Hemstad. “Once released, they fly away and can land on a balcony, roofing, field or in the forest. The enjoyment of watching a lantern pales in comparison to the risk to the community.”
Fines for releasing a sky lantern within the City of Vernon start at $500 per lantern and a person found responsible for starting a fire may be subject to much larger fines.
