FireSmart Program

Every year in BC, people and properties are threatened by wildfires. As many of these fires occur in areas where homes, cabins and subdivisions are built into the forest landscape, individual property owners can and should help reduce the risk of wildfire affecting their properties.

The SCRD FireSmart team is dedicated to reducing wildfire risk to properties and homes through public education. The goal of FireSmart is to empower homeowners to increase their resilience to wildfire on their properties and in their communities.

The SCRD receives a funding grant from the Union of BC Municipalities’ Community Resiliency Fund to support a region-wide wildfire threat mitigation and education campaign. The grant is spent on local projects through the promotion of FireSmart principles, which include conducting FREE hazard assessments of homes and properties, offering advice on ways to reduce fire risks, and considering FireSmart standards when developing properties to reduce the risk of fire. This program is available to all residents of the Sunshine Coast.

Is your neighbourhood FireSmart?

Join the growing list of BC communities that are FireSmart Recognized Neighbourhoods by demonstrating they are taking the steps necessary to build truly wildfire resilient neighbourhoods.

A FireSmart neighbourhood stands an even greater likelihood of surviving a wildfire than an individual FireSmart property. FireSmart improvements made by you and your neighbours will benefit everyone, so let’s work together!

If your neighbourhood, subdivision or community has a potential for wildfire, then you can get FireSmart recognition status by meeting the following criteria:

• Enlisting a wildland/urban interface specialist to complete an assessment and create a plan that identifies locally agreed-upon solutions that the neighbourhood can implement.
• Sponsoring a local FireSmart committee, which maintains the FireSmart Neighbourhood Plan and tracks its progress or status.
• Conducting FireSmart events each year that are dedicated to a local FireSmart project.
• Investing a minimum of $2 per capita annually in local FireSmart Neighbourhood efforts.
• Submitting an annual report to FireSmart Canada that documents continuing compliance with the program.