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Valemount Wildfire Preparedness

FireSmart - District of North Saanich

What is FireSmart™? 

FireSmart is about living with and proactively managing wildfire risks in your area and on your property.

Building wildfire resilience is a shared responsibility across BC. The FireSmart program, guided by seven key disciplines, applies to all levels—from individual homeowners to broader landscape and land management efforts. Research has consistently shown that FireSmart principles effectively reduce risks to life and property, even in extreme wildfire conditions.

What the Village of Valemount is doing:

The Village of Valemount is taking action to reduce the risk and impact of wildfire to our community. Because we live in a rural area surrounded by forests, we are creating strategies specifically for private, agricultural, municipal-owned and crown lands.

Through provincial grants offered through the Community Resiliency Investment Program for FireSmart Community Funding & Supports, the Village has secured the following services:

  • Employment of a FireSmart Coordinator to support wildfire preparedness, prevention, and mitigation through public education, assessments, and mitigative work such as fuel treatment to reduce community risk from wildfires. To learn more about fuel treatment, check out this brochure: Fuel for Thought.
  • Initiation of Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP) development which increases our community’s understanding of its wildfire risks, outlines its mitigation efforts to date, and recommends additional preparation actions and resources that will be required to help prevent future incidents and to respond and recover effectively should any occur.
  • FireSmart public awareness, initiatives, and educational events.

What residents can do:

Homeowners are encouraged to look ahead to the next wildfire season and keep FireSmart best practices in mind during seasonal yard maintenance. We are all in this together!

You and your neighbours have a role to play in reducing the threat to your home. Changes made to the area closest to your home and your home itself have the greatest impact on reducing the risk of wildfire damage. Follow the tips found in the FireSmart Begins at Home Guide, to help protect your home.

Click here → for three simple steps any home owner or tenant can take to get started. Do your part!

Check out this FireSmart Your Home graphic for more tips. 

Follow this link → FireSmart Preparedness for more resources on FireSmarting your property!  

Stay informed! Make sure you are registered to receive Voyent Alert! emergency notifications. Click HERE for registration information.

Community Events

🔥Ignite Awareness: FireSmart Movie Night and Expert Info Session Now Available on VCTV!

In August, the Valemount FireSmart Coordinator hosted an evening of film, insight, and fire prevention. The audience was treated to a screening of “The Test,” a powerful story about community resilience in the face of wildfire, and an exclusive talk with leading wildfire preparedness expert, Alan Westhaver.
Thanks to Valemount Community TV and videographer, Michael Peters, community members who could not attend in person can now watch the full event on YouTube.
Be inspired. Get prepared. FireSmart your future.

Home Ignition Zone Assessments: Paused for season–check back in spring!

As part of our commitment to helping our community prepare for wildfire, the Village of Valemount offers free Home Ignition Zone Assessments to residents of Valemount.

During an assessment, the FireSmart Coordinator will visit your property to evaluate the structure and landscape for its potential vulnerabilities to wildfire. Afterward, you will be sent a list of recommendations for simple steps you can take to make your home more wildfire resilient. To book your FireSmart Home Ignition Zone Assessment, email: fsc@valemount.ca.

VOV Fuel Management Project – 13th Ave

The Municipality collaborated with BC Wildfire Service to complete a phased fuel management project on Village property along 13th Ave, near Ash Street. The BC Wildfire Service has provided staffing support during periods of low wildfire activity, allowing work to progress throughout the year. View a site map and learn more about the project HERE.

 

FireSmart Program Contact