FireSmart assessments and rebates are being offered by the City to residents of the Williams Lake Fire Protection District.
The project, led by the Williams Lake Fire Department and funded through UBCM’s Community Resiliency Investment programs, aims to increase residents’ participation in FireSmart activities around their homes.
“This is a great program that tries to let the public access some additional funding to get FireSmart work done at their personal residences.” said Fire Chief Erik Peterson, “We have enough money to do about 24 homes on a first-come basis, first-serve basis, and it’s the excellent first step for people that living in the interface to protect their home”.
The City of Williams Lake is offering a rebate of 50% of the costs to a maximum of $500 per property and has contracted Ken Day of KDay Forestry Ltd. to carry out assessments for interested homeowners.
“Ken and I have been working on numerous projects associated with the Community Wildfire Protection Plan,” Peterson said, “This is just one more avenue that we’re going down together to try to make the City more resilient.”
Work is also underway to remove excess vegetation and fuel from green spaces within and around the city, being carried out by many agencies and coordinated by the Williams Lake and Area Wildfire Roundtable.
To arrange for a FireSmart Assessment you’re asked to email homesafety@williamslake.ca, and include your name and the address to be assessed.
FireSmart is a Canada-wide program that provides resources to homeowners to take effective steps to reduce the wildfire risk to property and help communities become fire-adapted.
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