FireSmart

The Village of Chase is taking steps towards improving community wildfire resilience. In partnership with the BC FireSmart Committee, we are acting on a list of top priorities that will help residents and public services prepare.

Steps that the Village is actively working on include:

· Conducting Wildfire Risk & Home Assessments

· Updating its Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan

· Fuel mitigation in public spaces

· Yard waste collection opportunities

· Hiring a local FireSmart professional

· Educating and empowering community members

As Chase becomes a more FireSmart-conscious community, we can expect a shift to increasingly comprehensive objectives.

Emergency Preparedness

Being prepared for emergencies is everyone’s responsibility. Similar to an earthquake, there are easy steps you can take at home that will help prepare you for wildfire.

A properly stocked emergency kit is beneficial in the event of any natural disaster. Batteries, canned food, first aid kits, and medications are just a few critical items when there is a power failure or the potential for injury. Always ensure that its contents are not expired, and don’t hesitate to add less obvious features like a multi-tool.

An evacuation can be very stressful. Plan ahead by setting up alternative accommodations with friends or relatives and consider leaving town in advance to avoid congestion. Know what personal belongings you wish to prioritize if ordered to evacuate; Your time and available space are both limited. You can register online with Emergency Support Services (ESS) to help streamline your experience in the event of an evacuation.

Click here for ESS registration and emergency kit supplies.

Routine maintenance like mowing lawns, pruning trees, or cleaning gutters will reduce the likelihood of home ignition. Checking that your smoke detector, extinguisher, insurance, and other fire-related factors are up to date is important. Some methods of preparation can be cost-prohibitive but make for great home improvements. Read more about these FireSmart practices in the segments below.

Structure Protection Sprinklers

Home sprinkler systems are ideally a secondary method of preventing ignition. It is optimal for combustible fuels to be managed accordingly, but sprinklers provide a simple alternative.

Properly setting up structure protection sprinklers can take time. If your sprinklers are stored away, be sure to begin setup well in advance of an evacuation. Get familiar with your sprinkler system by testing it out, and check for any wear and tear that may warrant replacement. Larger properties requiring an expansive system should consider having a second spigot installed.

While sprinklers can assist in mitigating fire risk, it is recommended to reduce home ignition potential through fuel management and structural resilience.

Home Ignition Zones

The 3 home ignition zones are a very commonly discussed subject in FireSmart. The distance and flammability of combustible fuels are a significant factor when determining home ignition potential.

The image below depicts effective fuel management. The “Immediate Zone” has had all fuels from lawn to shrubs replaced with gravel. The “Intermediate Zone” has a few well separated fuels that are not highly combustible, such as deciduous trees and flowers. The “Extended Zone” is where highly combustible fuels like firewood and conifers are permissible, assuming adequate spacing and maintenance. Notice that the lower branches of all trees have been limbed to prevent surface fires from reaching treetops.

Pursuing this layout for your property will not make it immune to wildfire, but notably improve its resilience. To learn how, refer to Understanding Fire Behaviour. If your zones overlap with a neighbor’s property, consider a collective effort to achieve desired outcomes. FireSmart has programs in place for entire neighborhoods to become certified with the help of grants and professional advice.

Landscaping & Plant Selection

One of the first action items you should consider when trying to FireSmart your property is vegetation. The species, location, and density of vegetation on your property all influence the odds of home ignition.

Conifers – often referred to as evergreens – pose the greatest risk. They are extremely combustible and allow fires to easily reach your rooftop. Minimize the number of conifers on your property, ensuring they are all 10 metres or more from your home with 3m spacing between crowns. Apply the same standard to equally flammable fuels such as firewood and wood waste. Any tree should have its lower branches limbed 2m up the trunk, since these can act as “ladder fuels” for surface fires.

Flowers, leafy shrubs, and deciduous trees are less combustible alternatives for your property. These species are acceptable with proper spacing, pruning, and only a 1.5m buffer from your house. Your lawn also falls under this category and should be mowed whenever the grass exceeds 10cm (4”). Many residents are giving up their lawn for various reasons from upkeep to promoting biodiversity. Replacing it with garden beds built out of fire-rated materials will reduce fire risk, invite friendly pollinators into your neighbourhood, and grow free organic produce.

Preventing fuels from accumulating around your home is crucial, so keep an eye on your gutters and rooftop as well. For more information on species selection and maintenance, refer to the FireSmart BC Landscaping Guide available in the Resources section below.

Building Materials

What your house is made of matters, especially its external components. When the time comes to replace your deck, roof, or other features, choose “Class A or B” materials to enhance fire resilience and potentially lower home insurance premiums.

Class-A materials include steel, concrete, stucco, gypsum, asphalt, brick, and fibre cement board (FCB). FCB is an appropriate alternative to standard wood products. The most fire-prone part of a house is its roof, making this a top priority in risk reduction. The high upfront cost of corrugated metal roofs is worth considering. They are the best defense a house can have for embers, which cause up to 90% of home ignitions. The steeper your roof’s slope, the less fuel accumulation you can expect on top. The home to the left survived the 2023 Adams Lake wildfire due to its metal exterior and A-frame roofing, despite the loss of adjacent structures.

Many unsuspecting aspects of your household can increase its odds of ignition. Vents with gaps over 3mm allow for embers to enter your home’s interior. The same problem can arise below decking or stairs with gaps; Tight seals are always preferable. A chimney lacking a spark arrestor allows for the escape of embers, risking ignition. Having a 15cm ground-to-siding clearance (typically concrete) helps prevent the transfer of heat from surface fires to your home. Small tempered or multi-pane windows are more heat resistant than larger single pane options. Keep your insulation up to date and maintain tight seals around window frames or doors.

An A-frame house with metal roofing, concrete foundation, FCB siding/decking, fire rated ventilation, multi-pane windows, and tight seals is about as structurally FireSmart as it gets. No one expects perfection, but all these features improve fire resilience. Ask your insurance provider what changes can lower your premiums.

Understanding Fire Behaviour

Fire behaviour is influenced by many variables. We gauge the severity of a fire by estimating rate of spread, drought codes, fuel loading and other concepts. These are determined by compiling data on the surrounding region from weather patterns to topography. Let’s start by reviewing fire behaviour in remote locations before discussing home ignition.

Topography describes the natural and artificial physical features of a particular landscape. We can deduce meaningful estimates on fire behaviour based on the slope, vegetation, aspect, and elevation of the surrounding land. Steep slopes result in a higher rate of spread due to wind, upwards heat transfer, and burning debris rolling downslope. A fire typically moves fastest travelling upslope but will lose momentum at high elevations as vegetation thins out and temperatures drop. High vegetation density (fuel loading) means there is an abundance of fuel for the fire to consume. This can take a rank 2 surface fire to rank 6 crown fire status as the flames climb up the tree canopy. The effect of fuel loading is amplified when the fuels are dead, often due to infestation or disease. A south facing aspect has the warmest temperatures due to greater sun exposure. Isolated features like gullies, rock bluffs, water bodies, and cliffs also influence fire behaviour.

Climate summarizes the other most influential variables for fire. Hot temperatures paired with a lack of precipitation often spell trouble. However, fire activity peaks when high winds are forecasted following a long spell of heat and drought. This tends to occur when the first storm cell in weeks begins to develop. Thunderstorms bring high wind speeds and lightning causing new ignitions and rapid spread rates. The rainfall is short lived, failing to compensate for volatile conditions. Only prolonged precipitation with mild temperatures and wind gusts will help crews extinguish wildfires. This is a rare occurrence in summer months that are dominated by brief thunderstorms or the high atmospheric pressure of an upper ridge.

By understanding how topography and climate influence fire behaviour, we can make sense of why certain structures are more susceptible than others. The most common source of ignition is embers, which strong winds can carry over 2km from high to low altitudes. This is why a home with a sloped metal roof, clean gutters, fire rated ventilation, and proper landscaping is best prepared for wildfire. The location of your home also matters, having a higher risk when situated upslope in a densely vegetated area. To learn more about fire behaviour, refer to the FireSmart Begins at Home Guide under Resourcesbelow, or consider taking the free courses listed above.

Fuel Modification & Prescribed Burns

Managing fuels is one of the most effective methods of wildfire mitigation. As 1 of the 3 elements in the fire triangle(fuel, oxygen, heat), fuel is a key contributor in fire behaviour. The abundance, species composition, and saturation of fuels are important aspects when gauging the wildfire risk of a particular region.

Fuel modification is completed by arborists and woodland firefighters who limb or fall trees to improve fire resilience. They remove a large share of dead ground fuels, leaving only enough for ecosystems to thrive. It may also involve the planting of deciduous saplings in areas previously dominated by more combustible conifers. This is common practice around urban centres or forestry cutblocks but is too costly for remote wildlands.

The most effective method of fuel management - when meticulously planned - is prescribed burn. As discussed under Wildfire’s Role in Nature, ecosystems benefit from occasional wildfire. Considering the cost-benefit comparison, prescribed burn is preferable assuming it poses little to no risk. You can expect BC Wildfire Service and partnered agencies to perform them in the months preceding or following peak wildfire season.

Wildfire’s Role in Nature

Communities are beginning to recognize that wildfire is a natural disaster we must learn to live with. Extinguishing every fire inevitably increases risk by allowing forest fuels to accumulate. There are also a wide variety of species from fungi to wildlife that flourish in post-wildfire habitat.

Forest succession is the natural cycle of a forest stand establishing itself or developing over time. Wildfire acts as a “reset” in this process, reducing the odds of infestation and disease. Trees forming the upper canopy can withstand fire due to thick bark and shedding their lower branches. Only the most established trees of the understory might survive, and the removal of competing vegetation allows for continued growth. Shrubs and saplings along the forest floor are wiped out, but the nutrient-rich soil left behind ensures rapid regeneration with greater biodiversity. Many species have seeds that do not sprout until wildfire passes through; A marvel of how vegetation has evolved to live with it.

Several species of fungi referred to as “fire morels” only thrive in post-wildfire ecosystems. Wildfire creates the optimal habitat for animals as well. A dense understory results in inadequate sunlight and moisture for fruit-bearing shrubs. It also blocks game trails, making it more difficult for wildlife to navigate through forests. The poor visibility and lack of prey negatively impact predation. The result of an ecosystem without wildfire is food scarcity, declining biodiversity, and severe fuel loading.

Forest health depends on the role of low-intensity surface fires. Our communities also depend on it, because excessive fuel loading leads to catastrophic crown fires. Adapting to our wildfire-prone environment is a necessity going forward.

Becoming FireSmart Certified

If you are interested in having your property FireSmart certified, you can take action individually with the help of the Wildfire Mitigation Program (WMP) or collectively through the Neighborhood Recognition Program (NRP).

The WMP helps with fire resilience specific to your property. Seek advice from your Local FireSmart Representative or other qualified professionals who can provide you with a thorough home assessment. This will create a “To Do List” for you to reference going forward. Each box you check off will help protect your home from fire and possibly lower your insurance premiums. Complete all tasks to become FireSmart certified.

Participating in the NRP can help motivate homeowners and expedite the path to FireSmart certification. A neighborhood is recognized as FireSmart when it has taken critical steps in improving wildfire resilience. The certificate must be renewed each year by continuing to implement FireSmart practices.

Find out more about the WMP (formally “Home Partners Program”), NRP, and becoming FireSmart certified in the links located at the bottom of the page.

Free Online Courses

FireSmart offers a variety of free training online that is accessible for everyone. If you are interested in familiarizing yourself with FireSmart’s best practices and how you can do your part, or you’d like to add invaluable training to your resume, this is a great place to start. We advise that you complete the courses in the listed order.

FireSmart 101

Covers the basics of FireSmart practices you can adopt at home and is suitable for beginners. Requires very minimal time for completion and is a great prerequisite for others available.

Visit FireSmart 101 | FireSmart Canada

FireSmart Wildfire Risk Reduction

Discusses the intricacies of wildfire behaviour and the role of organizations like BC Wildfire Service. After learning about these topics, it summarizes how residents can do their part in reducing wildfire risk. Allow 3 - 4 hours for completion.

Visit Wildfire Risk Reduction course

FireSmart Ambassador

Complete the courses above and the FireSmart Ambassador course should be relatively easy. It will prepare you to act as a source of information for community members with questions about wildfire and FireSmart. Allow 3 - 4 hours for completion.

Learn more at Program Support | FireSmart Canada

History of FireSmart

The history of FireSmart™ dates back to 1990, when the first committee was formed to address concerns about wildfire and human development. The organization has grown significantly since, becoming part of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre in 2021. The BC FireSmart Committee includes BC Wildfire Service, Union of BC Municipalities, First Nations’ Emergency Services Society, and other key stakeholders. Collectively, they share a wealth of knowledge on wildfire that has helped develop the framework of our province’s mitigation efforts. Wildfire mitigation is not limited to suppression. Vegetation management, risk assessments, structural composition, and community involvement all play a key role in reducing the threat of wildfire.

FireSmart, Intelli-feu and other associated Marks are trademarks of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre Inc.