North Shuswap Kicker May 2022

The Role You Can Play in Saving Your Home from a Wildfire

By Len Youden CSRD FireSmart Coordinator

In the event of a wildfire in our communities, all eyes are on firefighters to put out the fire as quickly as possible. But did you know that your actions can help make the firefighters’ job much easier?

A wildfire on Crown land is a BC Wildfire responsibility. An interface fire (a wildfire inside of a fire protection boundary) will initially be responded to by your local fire department. However, residents play an essential role in reducing damage.

Ideally, the role of the resident starts long before a wildfire.

You can help protect your home and stop the spread of an interface fire by reducing the risk of your home ever igniting. It is a common misconception that a wildfire engulfs a community like an avalanche and there is nothing you can do to save your home. We know this is not true and, while there are no absolutes, you can reduce the flammability of your home and property. Research and experiences from major wildfires around the world are at the core of the FireSmart Program.

Experience tells us that your home and the first 10 meters (30 feet) around the home is the most important factor in whether or not it ignites during a wildfire. Logic tells us that if there is nothing combustible on or near your home, then it can’t ignite from an ember or direct flame contact.

The reality is, most people have a wood deck or coniferous vegetation near their home. That doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel. It’s rare to find a perfectly FireSmart home or property but for every hazard you reduce or mitigate, you start stacking the odds in your favour.

The statistics tell us that if you have a non-combustible roof, non-combustible siding, and nothing combustible within 10 meters of your home, it has a 90 per cent chance of surviving a wildfire. Even with the perfectly FireSmart property, there are always unforeseen events. Let’s assume you have a wood deck, wood siding and coniferous vegetation near your home. You may not be in the 90 per cent category but for every coniferous branch, bush or tree you remove, you start improving your odds. Small steps over time add up to big improvements.

At some point in the future, our communities will experience a wildfire. The steps you take today will play an important part in how severe the fire could be. FireSmarting your property will help any firefighting effort in your community.

Homeowners have a number of resources available to help. Any CSRD resident can request a free wildfire property assessment. We will help you identify hazards and recommend ways to mitigate them. The CSRD website has a number of excellent resources to help get you started. The FireSmart BC website has a wonderful interactive home-owners manual and the newly published FireSmart BC Landscaping Guide can help you identify and plant safer vegetation. Help us out by doing your part.

For more information contact firesmart@csrd.bc.ca or call 1-888-248- 2773.