Coquitlam firefighters called upon to assist crews battling forest fires in the Mackenzie area last month said the experience they gained in B.C.’s Interior will benefit residents at home.

Coquitlam Fire and Rescue Assistant Chief Kelly Barber, who oversees the department’s sprinkler protection unit, pointed out that there are numerous areas around Coquitlam where forest fires could endanger properties.

“We were answering the province’s needs as well as being able to bring back a host of information,” he said. “Any time you can get out in the field and exercise some of these skills, it is a good thing.”

The team took its sprinkler protection unit to Mackenzie late last month in an effort to protect some buildings in a First Nations village about 8 km from a fire that burned 300 km west of the town.

Using a series of hoses and pumps, the Coquitlam team, which consisted of Barber, Capt. Brent Robinson and firefighters Tom Lippman, Alex Chieu and Len Pashley, were able to douse properties with water.

“If you can imagine a sprinkler that keeps tapping and moving around in a radius,” said Barber, “it is a lot like that.”

And those who believe that an urban department like Coquitlam’s doesn’t need forest fire-fighting capability should think again, said Barber.

He noted many homeowners living along Coquitlam’s northern boundary are susceptible to similar blazes and even areas like Mundy Park could be in danger during the dry summer months.