The small community of Rushmere has taken some big steps to protect residents from harm, using FireSmart principles to proactively reduce wildfire threats on private land on the west shore of Windermere Lake.

FireSmart Canada acknowledged all that hard work on Feb. 9, 2016, with the official presentation of a Community Protection Achievement Award and the installation of a FireSmart sign at the entrance road to Rushmere.

The award presentation was attended by BC Wildfire Service staff, a provincial FireSmart Canada representative, Regional District of East Kootenay staff, the fire chief for Columbia Valley Rural Fire and Rescue Services and other guests.

To earn the Community Protection Achievement Award, Rushmere was required to raise public awareness of FireSmart principles and teach private landowners how to help safeguard their homes from wildfire.

In September 2015, the B.C. government and the Union of B.C. Municipalities launched the $500,000 FireSmart Community Grant Program to encourage more communities to participate in the FireSmart program. Grants of up to $10,000 each for up to 50 communities are being offered to help communities receive a FireSmart designation.

Quote:

Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson –

“Mitigating wildfire risk is a shared responsibility of the B.C. government, industry stakeholders, local governments and private landowners. The residents of Rushmere have taken positive steps to reduce wildfire threats in their community and I’m pleased to see their efforts recognized by FireSmart Canada.”

Quick Facts:

• FireSmart Canada is part of the Partners in Protection Association and works closely with communities throughout the country to mitigate wildfire risks in interface areas, where urban development borders on forest or grassland areas.
• To reduce the risk of wildfire, homeowners can: remove dead trees; increase the spacing between live trees; trim low-hanging tree branches; and remove vegetation and wood debris.
• Homeowners can also reduce wildfire risks by using fire-resistant construction materials and fire-resistant plants and landscaping materials.
• The B.C. government introduced the Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative in 2004 to help local governments and First Nations reduce the risk of interface wildfires. As of February 2016, about $78 million has been allocated to the program to help local governments and First Nations reduce wildfire risks around their communities.
• As of Dec. 21, 2015, 288 Community Wildfire Protection Plans have been completed by local governments and First Nations. Another 50 are in progress.
• As of Dec. 21, 2015, completed fuel treatments and wildfire risk reduction measures covered 79,734 hectares in and around communities that face a significant wildfire risk.

Learn More:

The Homeowner’s FireSmart Manual was developed to help people reduce the risk of personal property damage due to wildfires. The manual is available online at http://bcwildfire.ca/Prevention/firesmart.htm

Read more about FireSmart Canada at: https://www.firesmartcanada.ca

Columbia Valley Rural Fire and Rescue Services and the BC Wildfire Service are planning to host a FireSmart community workshop this spring. The date for the workshop hasn’t been confirmed yet, but residents can call 250 342-4214 for general information about this upcoming event.