Due to climate change, the mountain pine beetle and Douglas-fir bark beetle infestations, and development in forested areas, wildfires are impacting our communities more than ever before. As a city in a forest, wildfires pose a significant hazard to urban and native forests as well as to homes and vital infrastructure. To help lower the threat of wildfires the City is taking steps to reduce the likelihood of a wildfire entering the community. Property owners can follow a few simple tips to increase their own wildfire resilience.
Community wildfire mitigation
Several forested areas of the city were selected for fire fuel mitigation, due to proximity of homes and critical infrastructure:
- Malaspina – West of the Fraser River, to the south of Stillwater Crescent and east of Loedel Crescent. Mitigation work was completed in August 2023.
- Broddy Road - South of Tyner Blvd., north of Highway 16. Mitigation work in underway and will be complete by summer of 2024.
Treatment areas were identified as high priority in the City’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which provides recommendations for reducing the threat posed by wildfires while maintaining ecological and community values.
Wildfire mitigation involves:
- Thinning trees
- Pruning branches
- Removing dead wood
- Reducing the amount of litter and debris on the ground
- Creating buffer zones between homes and wildlands
- Mature trees and trees important for wildlife habitat are left alone.
- Growth of deciduous trees and shrubs is promoted
The current Community Wildfire Protection Plan will be replaced with a Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan which will guide the selection of future wildfire fuel mitigation treatment areas.
Tips for property owners
Many of the same wildfire mitigation strategies taken by the City can also be applied to private properties to reduce the risk of damage due to wildfire.
Additional tips:
- Clean under your deck
- Clean your roof and gutters
- Mow your lawn
- Keep combustible materials like firewood, propane tanks, plastic furniture, and children’s toys away from your home
- Prune trees, especially within two metres of the ground
- Choose fire-resistant plants and remove highly flammable plants
Learn more about emergency planning for your household and the City's emergency response.