A tent fire at Kelowna, B.C.’s out of doors sheltering web site is once more highlighting security issues throughout the coldest weeks of the 12 months.
Fireplace crews responded to the tent city alongside the Okanagan Rail Path on Sunday afternoon to douse a blaze that erupted in or close to one of many tents.
Whereas an actual trigger isn’t recognized, the Kelowna Fireplace Division confirmed fires alongside that part of rail path are an everyday prevalence as these sheltering outdoors try to remain heat.
“You simply sort of make do with with what you’ve,” stated Aaron, who lives on the tent metropolis. “I imply, some individuals run propane simply to maintain heat, you recognize. Some individuals have to make use of candles.”
However this 12 months for the primary time, among the many dozens of tents alongside the Okanagan Rail Path, there’s a brand new tent, a a lot larger one which was erected firstly of December.
It’s a warming tent to maintain individuals secure throughout the bitter chilly.
However aside from getting used to serve breakfast and dinner, the tent is closed off.
“It’s positively not getting used as a warming tent,” Aaron instructed International Information.
That’s as a result of there’s a temperature threshold to activate it and to this point this season it hasn’t been chilly sufficient.
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“Not but,” stated Nick Bonnett, bylaw providers supervisor for the Metropolis of Kelowna. “Happily, the climate has held off and so we’ve not had to make use of that as a warming in a single day area but.”
The warming tent can accommodate as much as 50 individuals and is a degree two within the metropolis’s chilly climate response technique.
It will likely be activated when the temperatures hit minus 10 for a steady time frame.
“We’re in search of steady temperatures of minus 10 or colder to realize any of our excessive climate protocols,” Bonnett stated. “And that’s as a result of what we’re doing right here is basically an emergency intervention and so it’s actually solely in these excessive instances are we providing one thing for these which can be in want and are susceptible outdoors.”
The warming tent is a partnership between BC Housing, town and the Gospel Mission, which says is a crucial piece of the intense climate response.
“I feel the warming tent additionally exhibits the group down there that there are individuals which can be taking care of them throughout the colder months, ” stated Asna Memon, outreach providers supervisor for the Gospel Mission.
“So it’s not solely including a profit to their bodily well being, however I feel it additionally speaks quantity to the psychological well being and the isolation.”
Whereas the warming tent is able to be activated at any second, these on the tent metropolis really feel it shouldn’t be sitting empty whereas individuals battle outdoors.
“That’s the concept behind it after they put it up, was to be for the folks that don’t have any form of warmth sources, you recognize, individuals which can be in want of being heat,” stated Aaron.
The warming tent is a pilot challenge and shall be reviewed on the finish of the winter season.
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