The Chief of Kamloops Fire and Rescue is urging people to not install rooftop sprinklers on their homes as part of their steps to FireSmart their properties.

Ken Uzeloc says it will ensure that water isn’t being wasted, so that there is enough capacity in the City’s reservoirs to support emergency fire suppression efforts, if needed, as was the case during the Juniper Ridge fire on Canada Day in 2021.

“A lot of people if they have to evacuate, they put the sprinklers on and they leave,” Uzeloc told City Councillors on during the July 25 meeting. “That is drawing the water system that we need and the water we need, so we would advise you not to do that.”

“If needed, between BC Wildfire Service and the resources that would be brought in, we will be setting up sprinklers where they are appropriate to do, and to use, if needed. We don’t want citizens doing that on their rooftop ahead of any direction.”

In a tweet Thursday, Kamloops Fire and Rescue said if people were to set up sprinklers but not turn it on in an evacuation, firefighters would activate them “at the appropriate time” so the property be threatened by a wildfire.

“There is also a long-standing misconception that pre-soaking areas can ‘raise the humidity’ in front of a wildfire but we know now that with normal summer temperatures, normal low humidity, plus the added heat of a fire, that water will evaporate long before it can help,” KFR added.

If sprinklers were set up and left in place by homeowners- but not turned on- then firefighters would activate them at the appropriate time as the fire approaches those properties. Otherwise, that water could potentially be wasted and drain the system.

— Kamloops Fire Rescue (@KamFire) August 4, 2023

As expected, the City of Kamloops will be implementing enhanced water use restrictions on August 14 to try and reduce city-wide water use by 25 per cent. That move comes as both the North and South Thompson river basins are now at Drought Level 5 for the first time ever.

“There are areas that have more water available than others and that is part of what the professionals will take into consideration,” Utility Services Manager, Greg Wightman, told City Council. “That is another one of the reasons why do ask people to not turn on those sprinklers because it is just going to draw down that water that could be much more effectively used by professional firefighters.”

“Obviously its a balancing act, as always, trying to protect our environment [and] trying to protect our water system.”

For more on drought information in the City of Kamloops and water conservation, go here.