KJ-Fires-V2 | Emergencyplanningsec

FIRE

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OVERVIEW

A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that burns through areas with flammable vegetation, including forests, grasslands, and brush. Wildfires can spread rapidly and unpredictably, threatening lives, homes, infrastructure, and the natural environment.

While fire is a natural part of any ecosystems, hotter and drier summer have increased the frequency and intensity of wildfires in British Columbia. The province has seen historic devastation in recent seasons, with an average of 791,278 hectares burnt annually. Additionally, research suggests that climate change is contributing to a higher frequency of lightning strikes, which accounts for 60% of fire starts.

First Nations peoples are disproportionately affected by wildfires. Proximity to forested land, gaps in emergency infrastructure, and remote locations can all increase vulnerability during a wildfire event.

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EARLY AWARENESS

Wildfires can develop and spread with very little warning. Early awareness is less about predicting when a fire will start, and more about staying consistently informed so your community can act quickly when conditions change.

The BC Wildfire Service provides up-to-date information on active fires, fire danger ratings, and current bans and restrictions across the province. Regular monitoring, particularly during peak fire season between May and October, is an important part of community preparedness.

Provincial resources provide a valuable overview, but local observation is just as important. Community members and Land Guardians who spend time on the land are often the first to notice early risk signs, such as:

Violations of burn restrictions/bans.
Accumulation of dead and dry vegetation.
Large areas of trees weakened or killed by mountain pine beetle.
Smoke or unusual haze on the horizon.

Clear information about risks and reporting processes can help ensure concerns are documented and addressed as soon as possible.

PREPAREDNESS

The community being aware of the communication avenues for information about preparedness and emergency alerts helps ensure they are able to act quickly when conditions change.

For general preparedness information, like community bulletins, newsletters, social media, phone alerts, and workshops can be utilized.

Emergency alert delivery can vary depending on region, severity, and infrastructure, and can include:

Sirens
Door-to-door notifications
Social media and news media
Apps like Alertable or Voyent Alert
TV and radio
Text messages

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Based on available finances and funding opportunities, community programming can be used to build broader wildfire awareness and preparedness, such as:

Emergency Preparedness Fairs
Sessions on FireSmart landscaping and go-bag preparation.
Door-to-door canvassing to share materials and ensure community members are signed up for emergency alerts.

FireSmart is a set of principles and practices that reduce the risk of wildfire damage to homes, buildings, and communities. When many homes in a community adopt FireSmart measures, the community becomes safer and easier for firefighters to defend.

The FireSmart BC website provides a step-by-step roadmap for building a wildfire-resilient community. FireSmart training is also available for community staff and representatives, including:

FireSmart 101 — basic awareness and homeowner-level practices
Local FireSmart Representative (LFR) Training — enables staff to deliver FireSmart activities locally
Wildfire Risk Reduction Course — advanced training for identifying and reducing hazards
Wildfire Mitigation Specialist (WMS) — technical-level training for assessing risk and designing mitigation strategies

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Grants and funding may be available to support wildfire prevention, FireSmart initiatives, equipment procurement, and community resiliency planning.

Applying early is recommended, as funding opportunities are often

time-limited.

Meeting with your BCWS Wildfire Officer (WFCO) to review the upcoming fire season and determining your community’s response role can provide a clearer picture of the measures needed to effectively handle a fire disaster. Discussion items can include:

Reviewing local wildfire risks, historical fire activity
Identify prevention or mitigation actions
Clarify response expectations required for reimbursement from EMCR for community members trained in S-100, S-185

Identifying community members who can contribute to emergency response is beneficial. For example, people with:

ATVs or off-road vehicles for terrain access
Boats for water-based access or evacuation
S-100 and S-185 wildfire response training
Ability assist elders, persons with disabilities, or others who may need help evacuating.
Ability to door-to-door canvas for emergency notifications.

RESOURCES

Community members can receive formal training in the following areas:

S-100 Basic Fire Suppression and Safety
S-185 — Fire Entrapment Avoidance and Safety
Emergency Support Services (ESS)

An essential part of wildfire preparedness is evacuation planning.

Evacuation drills, route evaluations, muster locations, and cross-community support are important considerations. For more information about evacuations, please visit our evacuation tab.

RESPONSE

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When a wildfire occurs or conditions become dangerous, a fast and coordinated response from both leadership and community members is critical.

Reporting

Reporting a wildfire or smoke as soon as possible can help save lives, infrastructure, and land. The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) is the provincial authority responsible for fighting and managing wildfires, and should be the first contact.

PHONE

1 800 663-5555

*5555 (cell phone only)

APP

BC Wildfire Service App

on the App Store

and Google Play

APP

BC Wildfire Service online reporting tool

Reporting a wildfire to Chief and Council can also be encouraged. When educating community members about wildfires, make sure to inform them of how you would like to receive reports.

EPS has developed a 'report a wildfire' business card template, which can be filled in with your communities preferred actions and distributed to community members.

Evacuation

Evacuations due to wildfires are likely and time-sensitive, as conditions can change at a moments notice. A smooth evacuation relies on leadership and community members being educated, aware, and prepared.

For information about evacuations, please visit our Evacuations page.

EMCR Task Number

Communities experiencing emergencies may be eligible to obtain an Emergency Management and Climate Readiness task number through the Southwest Region EMCR.

1-888-663-3456
preoc2.ops1@gov.bc.ca

A task number will enable your community to be compensated for resources spent on response.

HOW WE CAN HELP

We support 31 communities, from Yale to Semiahmoo to Squamish, in improving emergency planning and preparedness at the local and regional levels.

In an emergency, we can:

Provide surge support to administration and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
Assist with the coordination of resources to communities.
Facilitate coordination communication with affected community members and partners.

Before an emergency, we can:

Assist with project engagement for emergency-related projects.
Coordinate discussions and collaborative efforts between communities, governments and other agencies.
Assist in communications and information management for contracts, projects and initiatives throughout the regional levels.
Assist in developing community emergency plans and preparedness toolkits for application during emergency situations.

Our vision is to have all of the 31 Mainland Coast Salish First Nations, from Yale to Squamish to Semiahmoo, resilient to existing and future disasters.

EMERGENCY PLANNING SECRETARIAT

Yo:yes Sq'eq'o | Working Together