Saturday, May 1 is Wildfire Community Preparedness Day and residents across the East Kootenay are being urged to spend some time tomorrow thinking about how they can help protect their homes and properties from the risk of wildfire.

“Whether you live in a municipality or in a rural area, there are a variety of actions each of us can take to reduce the number of wildfire hazards on our properties. From bigger actions like reducing fuel sources around your residence, to small ones like clearing eaves of dead, dry leaves and debris, there are numerous options to explore,” explained Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) Wildfire Resilience Supervisor Terry Balan.

While no formal community-wide events are planned for May 1 this year due to the pandemic, the RDEK is encouraging residents to make wildfire preparedness a priority at home.

“It would be great to see people taking actions at home to remove potential hazards, create a plan for themselves and their families, or make a plan for steps they can take over the coming weeks to help protect their properties and be wildfire-ready,” added Balan.

The RDEK will soon be embarking on an education campaign to help encourage and support residents and communities in becoming FireSmart. Residents can access preparedness guides, homeowner’s manuals, landscaping guides and more at www.firesmartbc.ca.

“While May 1 is officially Community Preparedness Day, we know the importance of wildfire preparedness all year round. Our goal is to support residents and communities in reducing the wildfire risks around their homes and properties, making us all collectively more resilient to wildfire,” stated Balan.

The RDEK’s FireSmart education program is expected to launch by mid-May.

FireSmart Canada image

RDEK

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