In recognition of National Forest Week from Sept. 20-26, 2015, firefighters from the BC Wildfire Service will perform a rapattack (short for “rappel attack”) demonstration at the University of British Columbia’s Thunderbird Commons on Sept. 25, starting at 4 p.m.

Rapattack firefighters are deployed by helicopter to fight wildfires in remote or inaccessible areas of the province, rappelling down to the ground while the helicopter hovers above them. On larger wildfires, they will build helicopter landing pads so additional crews and equipment can be strategically positioned around the fire’s perimeter.

For the UBC demonstration, the rapattack firefighters will work with an initial attack ground crew to extinguish a controlled bonfire, as part of the free “Beyond the Inferno” community event taking place at the Faculty of Forestry. This event will focus specifically on wildfires and also officially launch the university’s new Urban Forestry program.

After the demonstration will be short presentations, in the adjacent Forest Sciences Centre, by Lyle Gawalko (MFLNRO), Lori Daniels and Stephen Sheppard (UBC), Jed Cochrane (Parks Canada), and Bruce Blackwell (BA Blackwell and Associates), followed by a reception. Anyone wishing to attend the free event should RSVP at: http://nfw.forestry.ubc.ca/

The rapattack demonstration is free to attend and will take place on the Thunderbird Commons grass area at 6312 Thunderbird Boulevard, at the intersection with Main Mall on the UBC campus.

Quick Facts:

• British Columbia’s rapattack program was established in 1977 and is based in the Salmon Arm Fire Zone, although crews can be relocated to other areas of the province quickly in anticipation of heightened fire activity. Rapattack firefighters can remain on a fire site for up to 24 hours without being resupplied.
• Initial attack firefighters operate as three-person crews and are usually the first on the scene of a new wildfire. Initial attack crews are highly mobile and work quickly to set up water pumps, remove fuel from the fire's path and dig fire guards to control or extinguish the blaze.

Learn More:

BC Wildfire Service firefighting crews: http://bcwildfire.ca/FightingWildfire/Crews/

“Beyond the Inferno”: http://nfw.forestry.ubc.ca/beyond-the-inferno/

National Forest Week: http://canadianforestry.com/wp/national-forest-week/