Reducing the Risks and Effects of Wildfire

The First Nation community of ʔaq̓am is well aware of the need to prepare for wildfire. “In September 2017, the ʔaq̓am community experienced a 400-hectare wildfire that threatened property and resulted in the evacuation of 36 on-reserve homes,” said Julie Couse, Director of Lands and Natural Resources. “Approximately 110 individuals were displaced for a period of three days. The Wildfire Mitigation Grant will allow us to treat the highest-priority sites to protect our collective ʔaq̓amnik citizens.”

The community will conduct activities like tree felling, pruning and thinning to reduce fuel for wildfires on 63.4 hectares of high-risk areas, where wildfire may pose threats to human safety, structures, critical infrastructure or cultural heritage sites. It will also do Home Ignition Zone assessments on all on-reserve structures, plus do FireSmart activities with the goal of becoming a designated FireSmart-certified community.

The City of Castlegar is taking a collaborative approach to reducing the risk of wildfire within the community by working with students from Selkirk College’s Forestry Technology program. Students will conduct FireSmart assessments for private property owners, plus help reduce wildfire fuels on high-risk municipal lands by creating prescriptions and carrying out fuel reduction activities.

Through these efforts, “members of the public will learn the benefits of fire smarting their private properties,” said Lawrence Chernoff, Mayor of Castlegar. “By protecting private assets and the assets of the community, this project will reduce the risk of mass disasters and increase public safety.”

If you want people to do something, show them how it’s done. That’s one of the City of Fernie’s approaches to reducing the risk of wildfire. It will create a FireSmart demonstration forest, in which residents will work alongside professionals to thin trees and reduce fuels for wildfires.

“This public participation approach will transfer wildfire risk mitigation awareness, knowledge and skills by showing and involving stakeholders, not just telling them,” said Ted Ruiter, Fire Chief and Director of Fire and Emergency Services. “It will encourage them to use skills gained in building the site to reducing vegetation and fuel hazards near their own homes and neighbourhoods, in ways that retain an attractive forest while respecting wildlife and other habitat requirements.”

From setting up information booths, to doing demonstrations, to speaking to students and recreation groups, the City of Revelstoke will be taking a multi-layered approach to educating the public about how to become FireSmart. The City will also help residents assess their properties and suggest debris removal methods, plus will establish clear guidelines for developers building in areas adjacent to wildlands.

“Since 2006, the City has had wildfire protection activities under way, particularly targeting municipal properties and community infrastructure,” said Dwayne Voykin, Emergency Program Coordinator. “The focus is now on continuing to educate the community about local wildfire risks, especially from human ignitions, helping private property owners reduce their risks of wildfire damage and giving developers clear requirements for new builds.”