Spring is the time to start thinking about firesmarting your home.
That’s the message the Cariboo Regional District’s new FireSmart educator Travis Flanagan spread at the Interlakes Volunteer Fire Department’s open house on Saturday, March 23. He intends to hit up as many South Cariboo community events as possible in the coming months to ensure his message is heard loud and clear.
“Fire-smarting is just taking some precautionary measures and mitigating the risks (of wildfire) to your property. There’s a lot of simple ways you can do it,” Flanagan explained. “You can get started by just checking your roofs, getting debris out of your gutters, picking up fallen leaves and needles and other easily ignitable things around your property.”
These measures include stacking firewood piles away from your home, moving potentially combustible items like propane tanks to a secure location and mowing your lawn. Flanagan also encourages people to clean out debris from underneath their decks and wrap the supports in a mesh to keep further litter out.
If you take steps to properly fire smart your property, Flanagan claimed your home will be 90 per cent more likely to survive a wildfire. Considering how simple many of the steps he recommends are, he believes everyone should do it.
“Everyday chores make everyday heroes,” Flanagan remarked. “It’s science-based and really speaks for itself.”
Flanagan’s position is brand new, created by the CRD just this year to inform the public about FireSmart B.C. and the best practices to protect their homes from wildfire. While initially, his role will just be public relations in the coming months and years he plans to offer assessments of homes as well to those who need them.
“I think assessments are a really good thing and further down the line reimbursements (for fire-smarting your property) is also a good thing,” Flanagan said, noting the Thompson Nicola Regional District is already doing both.
As a former firefighter, Flanagan noted conditions are already favouring wildfires this year. In addition to the current drought and low snowpack the province is experiencing, he noted the weather has been getting windier and there have been some lightning strikes already. Taking preventive measures now to prepare is an extremely good idea, he remarked.
Flanagan encourages anyone with questions to check out FireSmart B.C.’s website for more resources and tips on how to FireSmart your property.