Municipality honoured with FireSmart Canada Community Protection Achievement Award
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo has been recognized with the FireSmart Canada Community Protection Achievement Award. Laura Stewart, President of FireSmart Canada, presented the award to Mayor Don Scott during the FireSmart Community Series on Wednesday, October 3, 2018.
The award recognizes communities across Canada who are dedicated to reducing the risk of wildfire on their landscape and who have already begun implementing FireSmart solutions to increase public safety.
“FireSmart Canada is thrilled to honour the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo with the FireSmart Community Protection Achievement Award,” said Stewart. “Following the 2016 Horse River Wildfire we have watched the Municipality take a strategic and innovative approach to mitigating wildfire risk in their community, and we’re proud to be partners with them on this valuable work.”
Since 2016, the Municipality has made wildfire mitigation a top priority. In 2017 the RMWB developed the Wildfire Mitigation Strategy to guide the implementation of a robust FireSmart program for the region. Since implementation approximately 117 hectares of land have been treated with FireSmart prescriptions and another 200 hectares are scheduled to be treated this winter. Along with vegetation management projects, the Municipality has also launched several new programs, campaigns and initiatives to help residents implement FireSmart initiatives on their own homes and properties.
“We’ve taken significant steps to developing our FireSmart program within the region and making FireSmart a fabric of our community and we’re pleased to be recognized for these efforts,” said Jody Butz, Fire Chief, Regional Emergency Services. “Preparing for the threat of wildfire is an on-going initiative in our region, and we’re determined to take all steps necessary to mitigating that risk and keeping our communities safe.”
As a recipient of the FireSmart Community Protection Achievement Award, the Municipality now joins the ranks of other FireSmart-recognized communities in Alberta including the Town of Banff and the Town of Whitecourt.
Learn more about FireSmart in the RMWB by visiting rmwb.ca/FireSmart.
About FireSmart Canada:
FireSmart Canada is the go-to national program committed to helping Canadians reduce their wildfire risk and become fire adapted through community-based solutions. FireSmart is administered by Partners in Protection Association; a non-profit coalition of federal, provincial, first nations', private industry and municipal fire, emergency and land management experts. Through publications, programs, outreach training, and workshops, FireSmart provides tools for Canadians to become pro-active in reducing the risk of wildfire to their homes and communities. For more information on FireSmart visit firesmartcanada.ca.
Contact:
Laura Stewart
President, FireSmart Canada
587-985-2095
