Referrals for a project that will provide free Fire Smart services to community members who are having difficulty or are unable to complete the activities themselves due to physical or mental barriers are now being accepted.
Fire Mitigation Project Supervisor in Williams Lake, Tamara Sommer said with all of the fire activity that we have been experiencing over the past couple of years, the threat of people’s homes burning down is becoming more and more prominent.
“I believe this last summer they were talking about how this is going to be become our new normal from so much forest overgrowth and from the pine beetle and the spruce beetle killing off all of the trees which is just creating more fuel,” Sommer said.
“So what we’re looking to do is to help out community members themselves and then also pick homes within the community to help create those firebreaks to stop wildfires should they come close to the Williams Lake area.”
Sommer said the project which is currently at the beginning stage is being made possible through a collaboration with United Way, WorkBC, and the provincial and federal governments.
“We’re looking to hit 40 homes in Williams Lake and the surrounding area,” Sommer said.
“Our project will be running until May next year and we’re looking to see how it goes hoping that there is some potential to have the project extended or have a second project put in place that can then reach out to the more rural communities as well.”
The project is also being offered in 100 Mile, Quesnel, Ashcroft, and Cache Creek.
To sign-up, get more information, or refer someone you know in the community you can contact Sommer at 778-267-8206 or by emailing [email protected]