It’s time to get FireSmart about wildfires in BC

Wildfire and Climate Change 2019 Webinar Series, April 18

In partnership with:

• Initial Attack Crew Leader• Fire Information Officer• Communications and

Engagement Specialist• FireSmart Program Lead

Masters in Natural Resources and Masters in Fire Ecology and Management

Kelsey WinterBC FireSmart Committee ChairFireSmart Canada Provincial Liaison

• ABCFP Registered Professional Forester

• Fire Behaviour Specialist• Wildfire Mitigation Specialist• International WUI involvement• Appointed Member:

• National Research Council of Canada- Wildland-Urban Interface Technical Committee Member

• National Fire Protection Association-Technical Committee on Wildland and Rural Fire Protection

Kelly Johnston, RPFFireSmart Canada Technical Lead

In one or two sentences, tell us what your definition of the Wildland-Urban Interface is?

FireSmart

Interrupting the Wildland-Interface Disaster Cycle

7

The WUI Disaster Cycle

How Do Structures Ignite?

Some: Direct convective or radiant heat from flame frontMost: Ignition from Fire Brand transport….and in many cases home to home ignition…Urban Conflagration

Slave Lake 2011 Slave Lake 201126

Community Wildfire Risk: The Full Picture

The “WUI”…a Set of Conditions

Source: http://www.slavelake.ca/live/Photo+GallerySL/Fire___Recovery8

What is the WUI?

“Any area where the combination of human development and vegetation have a potential to result in negative impacts from wildfire on the community.”

Everybody!...

Who is Responsible?

JURISDICTION/LOCATION

Province –Territory/ > Urban Fringe + Community/ > Private OwnershipLandscape > Municipality + Subdivisions > Home/Structure Ignition Zone

Home Owners

BusinessLE

VEL

OF

RESP

ON

SIBI

LITY

Low

>>>

Hig

h First Nations

Regional/Landscape Scale Plans

Community Scale Plans

FireSmart Community Plans/

Home Hazard Assessments

GENERIC FIRESMART RESPONSBILITIES, BY JURISDICTION, WITHIN CANADA

Remote Crown/Public

Lands

Private Ownership

Gov’t. of Canada - PSC / AANDC

FireSmart Canada

“A multi-disciplinary group working together in creating fire adapted communities.”

• Increase inter-agency cooperation

• Empower the public

• Increase community resilience to wildfire

Reduce the wildfire risk to property, infrastructure and public safety in the wildland/urban interface by helping communities

become fire adapted.

1. Vegetation Management2. Development3. Public Education4. Legislation5. Interagency Cooperation6. Cross Training7. Emergency Planning

Seven FireSmart Disciplines

A National Priority….

“Minimize the risk to the public safety and property by developing and implementing a Canadian FireSmart initiative with distinct components addressing mitigation, preparedness, response , and recovery”

Working Together

• Membership and support in 9 provinces & territories

• Local Government

• Business/Industry

FireSmart Major Publications

FireSmart at All Scales IsFire Adapted

Landscape Zone

Community Zone

Interface Zone

Structure & Priority Zone 1 Hazard Reduction

Minimize ignition potential of structure

Priority Zone 2 & 3 Hazard Reduction

Pruning Ladder Fuels Surface Fuel Reduction

Thinning

A Typical Neighbourhood

30

Communities, Groups & Neighbourhood Engagement

2018

Neighbourhoods

Local Governments Community Groups

The Insurance Driver

Changing the Susceptibility

• Community stakeholder collaboration

• Professional Level Assessments

• Account for specific site characteristics

• Clear workplan for home owners

• Measurable wildfire risk reduction

Parcel Level Assessments

Integrated Program

Homeowner Guidance

Implementation

• Training program that trains mitigation specialists to a standard

• Coordination (local and national)• Outreach and education essential• National, Provincial, Local political support

necessary ($$ at the national and provincial levels)

Landscape and Community Zone

• First Nations, Multi-agency and industry collaboration

• Strategic harvesting patterns and sequences• Fire hazard management (debris)• Forest Health

FireSmart = Options

• Increases community resilience to wildfire: reducing risk and losses

• Increases ability of land managers to sustainably manage forest ecosystems

• Increases ability of agencies to successfully manage wildland fire.

Creates a Fire Adapted and FireSmart Canada!

How familiar are you with FireSmart?

Agenda- Review of the 2017/2018 wildfire seasons- Outlook for 2019- Role of FireSmart- BC FireSmart Committee- Regional FireSmart Committees- FireSmart BC Education Package- www.FireSmartBC.ca

Review of the 2017/2018 wildfire seasons

1.22 million hectares of land burned by 1,347 wildfires in 2017

1.34 million hectares of land burned by 2,068 wildfires in 2018

Human impact**Statistics courtesy of EMBC

2017 2018

EVACUATION ORDERS

120 66

EVACUATION ALERTS

166 124

PROPERTIES ON ORDER

18,737 2,211

PROPERTIES ON ALERT

10,656 17,939

EMERGENCY SOCIAL SERVICE RECIPIENTS

NOT AVAILABLE 5,482

TOTAL DAYS ON PROVINCIAL STATE OF EMERGENCY

71(July 7 to Sept 15)

24(Aug 15 to Sept 7)

Forecast for 2019

Six of the last ten wildfire seasons have been above average area burnt

Fire Center Locations October 15DC

October 15BUI

Cariboo Anahim Lake 381 15

100 Mile House

313 11

Coastal Whistler 309 14

Vancouver 36 10

Kamloops Kamloops 526 18

Lillooet 499 15

Northwest Smithers 369 6

Dease Lake 353 2

Prince George

Vanderhoof 635 71

Fort St John 393 22

Southeast Grand Forks 827 60

Cranbrook 813 72

Fall 2018 Conditions

Weather Stations 2018 Rainfall Total (April 1 – November 1)

Historical Median

Vanderhoof 162.4 mm 240.8 mm

Ingenika Point 239.4 mm 263.0 mm

Bob Quinn 270.2 mm 382.0 mm

Wonowon 123.8 mm 1 288.0 mm

Kitpark 403.8 mm 780.0 mm

Anahim Lake 219.0 mm 190.0 mm

Rock Creek 179.2 mm 212.0 mm

Slocan 484.8 mm 425.0 mm

Cranbrook 173.0 mm 230.0 mm

Brisco 247.2 mm 340.0 mm

2018 Rainfall vs. Historical Average Rainfall

1 - Unreliable due to station issues

• Average to below average snow packs.• Above normal temperatures for April, May and

June.• Below normal precipitation for most of the

province (S and SW may be wetter in April)

Summary: Spring

CMC Temperature Forecast: April, May, June

They are forecasting, with a high probability, slightly warmer temperatures over the next three months.

Precipitation Forecast: April, May, JuneApril

May

June

Rainfall will be slightly above normal in the southwest corner of the province, especially in April. The rainfall for the rest of the province should be near normal.

• Above seasonal temperatures expected • Low confidence in precipitation forecasts, however

trend is toward slightly higher than normal amounts• 2019 is looking to be another busy wildfire season.• Western Canada will likely busier than the east.• The caveat: actual severity of fire season will be highly

dependant on local short range weather patterns such as timing and amount of rainfall, length of drying periods, thunderstorms and wind events. These elements cannot be forecasted this far out.

Summary

The role of FireSmart

Why should I care?

• During the fire season, British Columbians may be evacuated from their communities and homes may be destroyed.

• Living in a forested area means that you and your community eventually will have to contend with the threat of a wildfire.

Your best protection is PREVENTION

and your tool is the FireSmart program.

Wildfire prevention begins BEFORE the fire occurs and in our own backyards.

FireSmart is a shared responsibility.

BC FireSmart Committee

Membership: • Ministry of FLNRORD, as represented by the BC Wildfire Service • Office of the Fire Commissioner • Union of B.C. Municipalities • Fire Chiefs’ Association of B.C.• Emergency Management B.C. • Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. • First Nations’ Emergency Services Society of B.C. • FireSmart Canada

The BC FireSmart Committee

The BCFSC will collaboratively maintain and improve the delivery of the BC FireSmart program by ensuring alignment with the seven FireSmart disciplines to better support wildfire preparedness, prevention and mitigation in BC.

In meeting our purpose we will commit to aligning with FireSmart Canada, developing an annual work plan and budget and providing stakeholders and interested parties with one governing agency for FireSmart in BC.

Committee purpose

What we’re up to

• BC Local FireSmart Representative Workshop Series • Wildfire Community Preparedness Day• FireSmart Friday (Facebook)

Regional FireSmart Committees

• What Is FireSmart?• What is the BC FireSmart Committee?• What is a Regional FireSmart Committee?• What with the BC FireSmart Committee provide for you? • Suggested activities for Regional FireSmart Committees• Suggestions on Regional FireSmart Committee structure• Next steps

KINDERSMART PROGRAM FIRESMART JR. OFFICERS: GRADE 1-3

FIRESMART AMBASSADORS: GRADE

4-6

FIRESMART LEADERS: GRADE 7-12

• Magnetic House &

Campfire Board

• Five different

stations (FireSmart

materials, Forest

Builder, FireSmart

Puzzle, My

FireSmart

Community

• Student Workbook

• Magnetic House

& Campfire

Board

• Interactive

Games

• Home/Property

Assessment

Activity

• Student

Workbook

• Magnetic House &

Campfire Board

• Introduce Fire

Triangle

• How Fire Starts

Discussion

• Forest Fire Model

Building

• Student Workbook

• Magnetic House

& Campfire

Board

• Firefighter

Duckies Book

• FireSmart

Memory Cards

• FireSmart House

Relay

www.FireSmartBC.ca

Events and courses

The disciplines

Resource Library

• Brochures• Guides• Latest articles and research• Links• Posters and graphics• Videos• Online resource ordering form

Words wall

FireSmart Community Recognition Program

Contact information

Questions

BC FireSmart Video