FireSmart: Breaking the Wildfire Disaster Cycle FireSmart Canada Recruiting FireSmart Community Champions Good evening – and thank you for attending this information session on the topic of wildfire threats to our community. Many of you will recall the incredible losses that occurred during the 2003 wildfire that destroyed 234 homes in Kelowna, BC and caused the evacuation of 50,000 people; or the wildfire in May of 2011 that burned more than 1/3 of the Town of Slave Lake, Alberta causing the 2nd largest insurance loss in Canadian history. They lost much of their municipal infrastructure – and still have much recovery ahead. I am here today to tell you that your own community may be subject to many of the same type of wildfire hazards as Kelowna and Slave Lake – our homes, businesses and families are at risk. There is a simple and effective solution to prevent or greatly reduce those catastrophic losses – if we as members of the community are willing to work together using FireSmart principles. This program - the FireSmart Canada Community Recognition Program - is what I’m going to talk about today. I hope that some of you will feel compelled to volunteer to lead that program in your own neighbourhood at the end of this presentation.

Presentation Outline Understanding the wildfire threat to our neighbourhoods. Identify simple solutions to prevent home ignitions from wildfire. The FireSmart Communities Program: How we can work together to prevent a wildfire disaster. The role of FireSmart Community Champions. Briefly, there are 4 goals for todays presentations: First, to help you better understand how a wildfire behaves, and the wildfire threat to our neighbourhoods. Second, to demonstrate to you that there are simple solutions to prevent the ignitions of homes from wildfire. Third, I want to introduce you to the FireSmart Communities Program, and show you how you can play a critical role within that program by motivating your neighbours to work together to prevent a wildfire disaster. Last, I want to tell you about the role of FireSmart Community Champions, the essential sparkplug that helps get the process rolling at the community level.

Introduction – Welcome! Name and agency affiliation. I am also a Local FireSmart Representative. My role: Integrate fire prevention measures. Facilitate community based solutions that complement the efforts of fire-fighters. My name is: __________(your name) I am here today not only as a representative of _________________ (name of your agency), but as a representative of FireSmart Canada, a non-profit association dedicated to reducing the risk of wildfire losses. I am here today not only as a representative of (name of your agency), but as a representative of FireSmart Canada, an initiative sponsored by the non-profit association called Partners in Protection that has been dedicated to reducing the risk of wildfire losses for more than 20 years now. The fire protection goals of (agency) and FireSmart Canada are virtually the same. And our programs are designed to fit together seamlessly, complementing each other to reduce the threat of wildfires to our community. In order for firefighters to do their job effectively, this type of fire requires regular citizens to take action – BEFORE the fire starts. That’s what the FireSmart Communities Program is all about – reducing risk at home and in backyards to support the wildfire prevention work done by municipalities and wildland agencies on public lands.

Our Neighbourhoods are at Risk from Wildfire Wildfire is a threat to our community and its neighbourhoods. This threat cannot be solved by firefighters or more equipment. Solving the problem depends on what happens BEFORE the fire, in our own BACKYARDS! As a fire professional, it is my opinion that this community/neighbourhood is at risk from wildfire. Many of the homes and structures are vulnerable to ignition. A wildfire here could ignite many of our homes directly, or indirectly cause fire to spread from one home another in a chain reaction of events. The wildfire threat to our community and its neighbourhoods. I also want to make it clear that this is a problem that cannot be solved by sending more firefighters, more equipment, or bigger airplanes to attack a wildfire. The key message that I hope you hear, is that solving the wildfire threat to our community depends very much on what happens BEFORE the fire, in our own BACKYARDS! We’ll talk more about this later.

The Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI)…. What is the WUI? Structures in locations where conditions result in the potential for their ignition from flames and firebrands of a wildland fire. There are two key concepts that I want to clarify before we go on. First, the term “Wildland/Urban Interface”: Especially in Canada, many homes and businesses are located in places where they are intermingled or on the edge of natural vegetation. This vegetation may be composed of dense forest but it could also be brush, grasslands or a mixture of these. Together, this vegetation together with our homes and all the good things that we find around them create conditions that create the potential for buildings to ignite – either from the flames of a wildfire OR the embers generated by a distant wildfire. That answers the “WHAT is it” question… but WHERE is the wildland/urban interface? As you can see from the illustration above, it could be almost anywhere. Although the risk is two-fold on the edge of a community or neighbourhood; the fact that embers fall (or are driven by the wind) for kilometres ahead of the fire make homes in the center of many communities almost as vulnerable. WUI Where is the WUI?

What is a WUI Fire? Where the fuel being consumed by a wildfire… …changes from wildland fuel to urban fuel… SO, WHAT is a WUI Fire? A WUI fire is where the fuel being consumed by a wildfire changes from wildland to urban fuel. It does not matter to a fire, it’s all fuel! But it does matter to us! WUI fire occurs when wildland fire embers or flames contact the ignitable parts of a structure. Note that the trees surrounding this home are not burning, but the home is. How could that be – in the midst of an intense forest fire? Structural ignition occurs when wildfire embers or flames kindle vulnerable parts of a structure.

The Wildfire Disaster Cycle Severe Fire Conditions Fuel, Weather, and Topography Wildland Fire Rapid fire spread and/or High intensity Urban Fire Multiple, simultaneous ignitions Overwhelmed Fire Suppression Too much fire and too few resources Reduced Fire Protection Lack of resources leads to reduced effectiveness DISASTER! Many homes totally destroyed Earlier, I said that solving the wildfire threat to our community depends very much on what happens BEFORE the fire, in our own BACKYARDS! This is how that works – and how wildfire disasters develop: Just like every year, conditions of high fire danger develop periodically. Usually, when it is hot, dry and windy. A fire occurs, from any ignition source, and begins to spread rapidly through the vegetation outside our community. The fire approaches the community – perhaps still kilometres away, but it showers homes with millions of burning firebrands. Due to flames and firebrands , multiple homes catch fire in a very short period of time (possibly hundreds of homes!) Even the best fire departments – even with massive resources are overwhelmed. Firefighters must retreat for their own safety – too much fire! Many homes are lost >>>> DISASTER STRIKES! The Wildfire Disaster Cycle

Community Protection Video Presentation: Wildfire! Preventing Home Ignitions Wildfire! Preventing Home Ignitions We are going to watch a 19 minute video that will help reinforce the problems we face living in the wildland/urban interface. The video also points out many of measures that residents like you and I can take, on our own or working with our neighbours, to break wildfire disaster cycle. These actions are at the core of the FireSmart Communities Program – all they need is a FireSmart Community Champion to set the wheels in motion. Courtesy of: Firewise Communities / NFPA Wildland Fire Operations Division

What about Canada? Video produced in USA, but… Physics are universal. Equally applicable here. Research done in Canada. Lillooet BC, 2010 Before we talk about the video… I know this video is an American production. However, I want to assure you that it is equally valid in Canada. In fact, Canadians have been working alongside with Jack Cohen for more than 20 years on this issue. He does a great job of speaking for us all! - We are all in the same boat! Canadian Forest Service Canada/USA collaboration

Key Messages from the Video What did you hear? It’s the little things…. You can make a difference … Homeowners are not helpless against wildfire. The solutions are not difficult. We are in this situation together, overlapping home ignition zones. What were the main messages of this video – what struck you as being most important? ASK THE AUDIENCE TO RESPOND TO YOUR THIS QUESTION, REINFORCE THEIR RESPONSES. Possible points – ideas: (ADD TO THE LIST ON YOUR OWN). It’s the little things…. You can make a difference … Homeowners are not helpless against wildfire. The solutions are not difficult. We are in this situation together, overlapping ignition zones can lead to chain reactions.

Breaking the Wildfire Disaster Cycle Severe Fire Conditions Fuel, Weather, and Topography Wildland Fire Rapid fire spread and/or High intensity Urban Fire Multiple, simultaneous ignitions Overwhelmed Fire Suppression Too much fire and too few resources Reduced Fire Protection Lack of resources leads to reduced effectiveness DISASTER! Many homes totally destroyed I think you can see from the video that the key to breaking the Wildfire Disaster Cycle is in taking actions that interrupt the movement of fire as it is transitioning from wildland fuel (vegetation) to urban fuel (our homes). Jack Cohen is a pretty “no-nonsense” guy. One of Jack’s best quotes is: “ If a home does not ignite, it cannot burn… if homes don’t burn, then there is no disaster” He is right, and this is where we can be most effective – preventing home ignitions from wildfires burning adjacent the home and it’s community. And that is what the FireSmart Canada Community Recognition Program aims to help residents achieve. Breaking the Wildfire Disaster Cycle

Increasing Development in WUI Areas The Trend is Upwards ! Climate Change - increased area burned - fire intensity rising WUI Disasters Evacuations Lo$$es Increasing Development in WUI Areas Before we shift to discussing the mechanics of the FireSmart Communities Program – and how you can get involved…. There is one more important message. THIS PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE, AND WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE! All of the major contributors to the wildland/urban interface problem are on the rise: 1. Forest Health Issues: insect epidemics + rising fuel loads. 2. Climate Change: Longer fire seasons, increased area burned, rising fire intensity. 3. Increasing Development in WUI Areas: people are colonizing rural and forested areas for living and recreation. Rising Fuel Loads fire exclusion forest health issues

Neighbours Helping Neighbours FireSmart Canada Community Recognition Program Targets the problem. Driven by residents. Supported by fire agencies and departments. The FireSmart Communities Program encourages self-organizing groups of neighbours to work together with a fire professional and among themselves to plan and implement effective solutions to prevent home ignitions. The program works best with “block-party” sized group ((i.e. neighbourhoods, cottage subdivisions, 20 – 50 homes) and among people that have something in common – their neighbourhood and friends! When set standards are met, the neighbourhood is awarded national recognition in the form of signs that they can post to display their achievement. The Brochure we handed out earlier outlines the program, the key players and how you can get involved. Here is How it Works!

HOW DOES THE FCCRP WORK?? In a nutshell: Simple 8-Step Program 8. Renew Recognition 7. Apply for Recognition 6. Implement Solutions 5. Create FireSmart Plan 4. Champion Forms FireSmart Board HOW DOES THE FCCRP WORK?? In a nutshell: A concerned resident (the Community Champion – this could be you!) makes initial contact with myself, or with FireSmart Canada. I will visit your community and conduct a community wildfire hazard assessment. It pinpoints the strengths and weaknesses in terms of wildfire vulnerability, and helps identify effective solutions to reduce risks. I’ll produce a report of my findings. The neighbourhood pulls together a FireSmart Board, they receive the report and decide if it is something they want to act upon. If the report is accepted, the FireSmart Board creates a very simple FireSmart action plan based on report recommendations. The neighbourhood put the plan into action through one or more FireSmart Events, kind of like an old-fashioned barn-raising work bee. The community applies for and receives FireSmart Community Status and the national award (based on 5 simple criteria). 3. Hazard Assessment 2. Site Visit by Local FireSmart Representative 1. Community Contacts FireSmart

More About the FireSmart Canada Community Recognition Program A time-tested means of developing and motivating self- organizing groups of WUI residents to take grassroots actions that reduce the risk of wildfire losses in their own neighbourhoods. A tool to engage and empower people and communities. A program that augments the efforts of municipal and wildland fire responders. More About the FireSmart Canada Community Recognition Program It is a time-tested program: nearly 1000 U.S neighbourhoods have taken the challenge, and many Canadian communities are underway. It works: the fire prevention measures have shown themselves to work in the face of oncoming fires. FireSmart communities survive! It’s simple, grassroots, and lots of fun when neighbours get together at FireSmart Events. The Program empowers people with knowledge and information require to act effectively in “fire prevention” mode. Your neighbourhood FireSmart Plan greatly augments the efforts of municipal and wildland fire responders. Text Ref: URG-3

The All-Important First Step It’s YOU! Make the commitment to become a FireSmart Community Champion today: Read the Brochure: “Becoming a Recognized FireSmart Community”. Sign up NOW for the next FireSmart Community Champion Workshop. If you can organize a bridge club or a hockey road trip – you can lead the charge towards wildfire safety in your neighbourhood! Please consider taking the first step for your community; Sign up now as a Community Champion or; Sign up to indicate your interest in attending a ½ day Community Champion Workshop to become better prepared to lead the program in your neighbourhood. NOTE TO PRESENTER: Have a 2- column sign up sheet prepared and on display at the venue in order to allow interested persons to sign up for a formal contact to begin the FCCRP Community Champion Process.

Questions? Questions?

Contact Information Local FireSmart Representative: Name: Phone: E-mail: www.firesmartcanada.ca Thank you for your attention and interest in this program. I will remain available after the presentation for further discussion and questions. THANK YOU!