Canadian Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra has ordered that CN and Canadian Pacific Railways may not operate trains in certain subdivisions in British Columbia where the fire danger level is “extreme.” The order, which is in effect until Oct. 31, affects rail operations between Kamloops and Boston Bar or between Kamloops and North Bend in the Thompson and Ashcroft subdivisions.
Alghabra issued the order in response to an unprecedented wildfire that has displaced hundreds of people in Lytton, British Columbia, the Lytton First Nation and the surrounding areas. Extreme weather and wildfire risk continues to pose an acute danger in British Columbia, as well as other parts of Canada, Transport Canada officials said in a press release.
According to the order, CN and CP must:
• incorporate the deployment of fire suppression capacity into their operations that will ensure a 60-minute response time to any fires detected along the right of way of the subdivisions in order to take steps to extinguish or control the reported fire, or to notify the fire service responsible for the area if the fire cannot be controlled without assistance;
• require that the conductor on any train be responsible for spotting for fires and reporting any fires or smoldering areas along the subdivisions to Rail Traffic Control for response by fire services;
• ensure that any vegetation-control measures are followed by removal of combustible materials; and
• ensure that at least 10 fire-detection patrols are conducted on the subdivisions every 24 hours unless a train has not operated on the relevant subdivision for a period of at least three hours.
In addition, the Class Is must consult with Indigenous governments or other Indigenous governing bodies located along the subdivisions to incorporate considerations of Indigenous knowledge related to the presence of fire hazards, fire risk and control of fires into the preparation of Fire Hazard Reduction Plans and the Fire Preparedness Plans required under the Prevention and Control of Fires on Line Works Regulations.
“Unprecedented weather conditions in British Columbia continue to pose a serious threat to public safety and railway operations,” said Alghabra. “The government of Canada remains committed to supporting those affected by the devastating wildfires in British Columbia and will not hesitate to take any safety actions that are necessary to mitigate these risks to public safety and the integrity of railway tracks and infrastructure.”
