Good Neighbours and Resilient Neighbourhoods
The Fairways community on Golf Course Drive were also leading the example by having their whole strata tackling all hazardous vegetation within the 10m zone around their homes... Mugo pines, cedar hedges, junipers and branches lying on roofs' edge all were the target of this year's cleanup. A community that definitely has set the tone in Blind Bay!
By Mike Borkent, CSRD FireSmart
As the booklet cover says, “FireSmart begins at home” – but it doesn’t end there. While the FireSmart program often focuses on individual properties, there is much more power in numbers.
The FireSmart Neighbourhood Recognition Program is a comprehensive initiative aimed at empowering communities by providing expert guidance and resources to fortify against wildfire risks. Local FireSmart representatives (LFRs) and groups of residents (starting with 3-5 properties on a street, or a strata or associations) work together to implement FireSmart principles. Upon completion, the neighbourhood earns FireSmart recognition, showcasing its commitment to wildfire preparedness and community safety.
There are many recognized neighbourhoods in the CSRD, and the list is always growing. Most recently, the Ratepayers Association of St Ives, near Anglemont, led by local champion Colleen McCord, received their recognition sign. Congratulations to them, and to all of the other neighbourhoods who have taken on this important work!
On the last weekend in May, FireSmart clean-ups happened on the South Shuswap at Eagle Bay Estates, Alpen Paradies (already a FireSmart community) and the Fairways community on Golf Course Drive.
Are you interested in joining the list? Participation in the program involves several key steps:
Chief Alan Rendell (Eagle Bay FD, left), Mike Borkent with Tracy Lemieux (EBFD) who has kindly taken on the role as FireSmart Champion for her Eagle Bay Estates community and organised this first FireSmart cleanup.
It begins with a local champion who works with an LFR to engage residents about the benefits of FireSmart principles. Through this process, a committee is set up to create, implement and maintain a neighbourhood plan and track activities.
The committee works with the LFR to assess the neighbourhood’s wildfire vulnerabilities, identifying potential hazards. Based on the assessment, a tailored Neighbourhood Mitigation Plan is developed with specific actions to reduce risks.
Residents then work collaboratively on dedicated projects during neighbourhood events to implement their plan. These events may include educational activities, creating defensible space around homes, and reducing flammable vegetation or debris in communal areas. The CSRD FireSmart program supports and encourages these activities by providing chippers, yard waste bins, and covers the costs of a BBQ and refreshments.
The committee documents these activities and submits a report to FireSmart. Upon successful completion of the program requirements, the area is recognized as a FireSmart Recognized Neighbourhood, including receiving a road sign that is updated annually.
Many activities in a community mitigation plan focus on FireSmart landscaping, which does indeed begin at home. (Remember you can request a free FireSmart assessment at https://www.csrd.bc.ca/firesmart). Even if you are not yet a recognized neighbourhood, you can still be a good neighbour by applying FireSmart principles to your property.
Key areas to consider include: Reducing the conifers on your property, especially taking out highly flammable cedar hedges and junipers within 30 feet of buildings. These act like “green gas cans.” Thinning mature conifers to have 10 feet between crowns (or small groups of crowns) and prune lower branches to six feet above other flammable materials, out to 100 feet. Planting deciduous shrubs and trees instead, as they are more fire resistant and release moisture during a wildfire event, helping slow the fire. There are several deciduous hedge alternatives.
The FireSmart BC Landscape Hub offers invaluable guidance: https://firesmartbc.ca/landscaping-hub/
Let’s all be good neighbours with FireSmart landscaping, and let’s grow into resilient, recognized neighbourhoods together!
Eagle Bay Estates residents chipping away their branches.
