An alternative approval process held for a proposed co-terminus fire protection service for unprotected areas in the North Thompson Valley has failed, according to Tim Pennell, Thompson-Nicola Regional District director for Wells Gray Country (Area A).
For the service to have gone ahead at least 50 per cent of residents plus non-resident property owners in the affected areas would have to have signed a petition in favor of the service.
As of the deadline on Friday, Aug. 9, only 27 per cent had signed up, said Pennell.
“It's a disappointment,” the Wells Gray Country director said. “We'll have to meet with the other elected officials plus staff and decide what direction we should go next.”
Possible alternatives would include holding a referendum on the issue in conjunction with next fall's civic elections, or dropping the proposal altogether.
Pennell said he and the other officials involved would have to talk with people to see if the problem was in the process or in the proposal.
Under the co-terminus proposal, people living in the gaps between fire protection areas from McLure to Clearwater would have received fire coverage from the two nearest fire departments on a contract basis.
Those living in Birch Island, for example, would have been covered by the Clearwater and Vavenby fire departments.
The departments involved would have been compensated at the rate of about $700 per hour for each callout.
The plan also included the installation of four 10,000 gallon “dry hydrants” or underground water storage tanks at strategic locations in the gaps to be protected.
The proposal would result in continuous fire protection from along the Highway 5 corridor from the south boundary of McLure Fire Protection Area to the north boundary of Vavenby Fire Protection Area. Also included would be Roundtop Road, Birch Island, and the Birch Island -Vavenby Lost Creek Road.
Cost of the service would have been $114 on a $100,000 house. However, the TNRD could not guarantee that there would be a timely response to fires or that there would be any savings on fire insurance.