What is FireSmart?
FireSmart is a national, provincial, and municipal initiative that helps property owners and communities understand how wildfires can threaten structures located in or near forested and wildland areas. It also outlines practical steps individuals and communities can take to reduce the vulnerability of buildings and property to fire.
Examples of FireSmart practices include:
- Remove piles of firewood, building materials, tires, and other flammable items from within 10 meters of homes and structures.
- Keep track of your firewood consumption, each fall place that amount in an accessible location for you to utilize and plan to relocate the remaining wood when the spring returns.
- Clear or properly space all plants and vegetation within 10 meters of buildings. When planting new trees, consider fire-resistant deciduous species such as birch and aspen. Refer to the FireSmart BC Landscaping Guide for guidance on what types of plants do and do not belong! More information here.
- Ensure trees and vegetation do not overhang the roof, and keep gutters well-maintained and free of debris.
As homeowners, we can all take simple yet effective steps to increase our resilience and reduce the impact of wildfire on our properties and within our communities. Click here for more information.
“The Test” is the story of the town of Logan Lake's efforts to make their community more fire resilient, eventually becoming the first FireSmart community in Canada. But when the 2021 Tremont Creek Wildfire roared toward them, all eyes were on the little community as nobody knew if all of that work would pay off and if they would pass the test.
Click on the picture below to watch a short video about FireSmart and You!
Begin your FireSmart journey here:
FireSmart 101:
- FireSmart 101 is a free, one-hour course offered by FireSmart Canada that empowers residents to take action. Test your knowledge and gain valuable insights into protecting your home and neighborhood from wildfire.
Wildfire Risk Reduction Course:
- FireSmart BC's Wildfire Risk Reduction course is for non-forest professionals who are interested in wildfire risk reduction, or are engaged in FireSmart BC programs. The course will introduce you to the key concepts, players, risk reduction strategies, and funding opportunities that help to minimize the negative impacts of wildfires in our province.
Keep your eyes open for available course offerings and become a Local FireSmart Representative!
Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP)
The District of Tumbler Ridge’s Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP) builds upon previous planned and completed wildfire mitigation, most recently facilitated through the 2014 Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) while adding objectives that align with the seven FireSmart disciplines. Community Wildfire Resiliency Plans are intended to focus in and target municipal property and critical infrastructure within a designated radius of the community and into the surrounding wildland urban interface (WUI) to be used as a measure to improve community resiliency, increase wildfire preparedness and mitigate losses from possible emergency events.
The CWRP will serve as a guide and identify several potential wildfire related areas of focus and actions to mitigate these risks and reduce the overall fire hazard in and around the District of Tumbler Ridge. Larger mitigation projects will be supported through the promotion of FireSmart awareness via community programs and resident supports.
Additionally, the CWRP will provide guidance to the District of Tumbler Ridge in their efforts to achieve a consistent, comprehensive approach towards wildfire risk reduction and resiliency measures within and immediately surrounding the community. Key goals of the CWRP process include:
- Increase the community’s understanding of and response capacity to wildfire risk
- Improve collaboration across administrative boundaries and organizations
- Respond to the needs of the community according to their priorities
- Develop achievable action items that will reduce wildfire risks and improve the community’s overall resiliency.
- Provide a flexible framework that allows for community collaboration and increase rile from all interested community members to play their part in FireSmart.
The CWRP will be reviewed annually to monitor implementation progress and determine actions and priorities for the coming year. Every five years this plan will be reviewed and updated, including a re-submission for approval through BC Wildfire Service and the Union of BC Municipalities with new goals and priorities that reflect the needs of the community and progress made under the term of this plan.
Review the District of Tumbler Ridge's current DRAFT CWRP here.
What is the Wildland – Urban Interface? (WUI or “WOO-HEE”)
The Wildland–Urban Interface (WUI) is the zone where human development—such as homes, structures, and infrastructure—meets or intermingles with undeveloped forested land and natural vegetation.
The WUI is more than just a geographic boundary. It represents a complex relationship between environmental conditions, community development, and economic and social factors—all of which influence how wildfire risk is managed in these areas.
The WUI is broken down further into two sub-categories, Interface & Intermix; some areas of Tumbler Ridge fall into each of these categories.
Interface is when there is a clear line of demarcation between residential, business, and public structures and wildland fuels; in these areas, wildland fuels do not generally continue into the developed area.
Intermix is when there is no clear line of demarcation; in these areas, wildland fuels are continuous outside of and within the developed area.
As a wildfire approaches a community, it is initially fueled by forested land and vegetation. When the fire enters the wildland-urban interface (WUI) and begins to compromise structures, the fire reaches a critical transition period. During this time, the fire shifts from consuming natural vegetation and wildland fuels to burning “built fuels” such as homes, fences, and other infrastructure within the community.
At this point, these fires are no longer considered wildfires in the traditional sense. Instead, they evolve into urban conflagrations, spreading from structure to structure through radiant heat, embers, and direct flame contact. This is where FireSmart practices can play a crucial role—often becoming the deciding factor in slowing or stopping the spread of the blaze.
To learn more about wildfire behavior, how fires spread in the WUI, and the steps you and your neighborhood can take to reduce wildfire impacts, refer to the FireSmart BC Begins At Home Guide.
Additional Resources:
For more information about FireSmart overall, check out the FireSmart BC website and FireSmart BC - YouTube .
The FireSmart BC Begins At Home Guide and the FireSmart BC Landscaping Guide | FireSmart BC provides individuals with recommendations for them to take meaningful steps to help reduce the risk of wildfires to their own homes and neighborhoods and create a more resilient community around us.
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Have Questions? Contact Us!
District of Tumbler Ridge FireSmart
Phone: 250-252-3939 ext. 704
Email: firesmart@dtr.com