WHEREAS many communities small and large in British Columbia are threatened by potential wildfire occurrences adjacent to and within their communities; AND WHEREAS community wildfire protection plans and operational fuel management projects on public and private lands can significantly reduce the threat and impact of a wildfire event: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities request that the Province initiate a Fire Smart Canada Community Program similar to the FireWise program in the United States and the Partners in Protection Fire Smart Canada proposal.
Ministry of Natural Resource Operations The Canadian Fire Smart program is very similar to the US FireWise program and it contains many similar elements. The Province encourages communities to adopt Fire Smart activities and actions. If a community is conducting Fire Smart activities and actively participating in the Strategic Wildfire Prevention Program, they will be ensuring that wildfire threats to their communities are mitigated. The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General and the Ministry of Forests, Mines and Lands are cooperatively exploring the opportunity to recognize communities that are leaders in Fire Smart and community wildfire protection planning.
Ministry of Public Safety Resolution B8, the issue of long-term British Columbia Coastal Community Flood Protection, and Resolution B59, the initiation by the Province of a Fire Smart Canada Community Program, fall primarily under the purview of the Government of British Columbia. They do, however, relate to Public Safety Canadas mandate in emergency management EM. EM is a shared responsibility between all levels of government. Within Canadas constitutional framework, provincial and territorial governments and local authorities provide the first response to the vast majority of emergencies, including floods and wildfires. In fact, over 90 of emergencies are handled by municipal governments. The Government of Canada is focused on maintaining a safe and resilient Canada. In that regard, Public Safety Canada develops national policies, response systems and standards to reduce the impact of emergencies that could affect Canadas population and infrastructure. On the protection of wildfires and the initiation of a Fire Smart Canada Community Program Resolution B59, I note that this matter has been forwarded to the Province of British Columbia as an initial proposal. Having said that, the Government of Canada, under the leadership of Natural Resources Canada, in involved in the Canadian Wildland Fire Strategy. The Canadian Wildland Fire Strategy Declaration was signed by the federal Minister of Natural Resources with the provincial and territorial Forest Ministers in 2005 in an effort to address the potential threat wildfires can pose to public safety, property and vital natural resources through a cohesive risk management framework i.e., mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. The Strategy was updated in 2009 in a continued effort to set the goals necessary to protect lives and wildland resources across Canada. Given the lead of the minister of Natural Resources on this matter, I have taken the liberty of forwarding this correspondence to the Honourable Christian Paradis for his information and use. Ministry of Natural Resources With regard to B59 Fire Smart Canada Community Program, this resolution is directed at British Columbia B.C. and asks that the province start a program, similar to the Fire Smart Canada initiative. For your information, the Government of Canada has made recent investments in wildlife prevention through the First Nations Forestry Program, the Community Adjustment Fund CAF, and the Mountain Pine Beetle Program. For example, the CAF has committed approximately 14.5 million to 39 different forest fuel management projects through its various delivery models in B.C. Ministry of Environment With respect to FireSmart planning, all national parks in British Columbia are using or planning to use FireSmart techniques to reduce wildfire risk. Yoho and Kootenay national parks of Canada have FireSmart fuel management in their current fire management plan. Kootenay National Park contains the Field Unit closet to the Kaslo municipality, which sponsored the resolution. Gulf Islands National Park Reserve of Canada will work with neighbours and stakeholders within the Union of British Columbia Municipalities to co-operatively mitigate wildfire risk through FireSmart fuel management techniques, which are referenced in the draft interim Gulf Islands National Park Reserve fire management plan. The interim fuel management goal is to investigate the use of FireSmart techniques in specific locations within the Gulf Islands Park reserve, and to participate in promoting FireSmart with the Government of British Columbia and the Islands Trust municipalities associated with the Park Reserve as part of a coordinated approach to reducing fire risk in the southern Gulf Islands.