Congratulations South Hills on your FireSmart Neighbourhood Recognition!

After years of hard work, late in 2022, a group of dedicated homeowners in the South Hills Neighbourhood of Quesnel received recognition from FireSmart Canada through their Neighbourhood Recognition Program. To achieve this designation, homeowners performed activities around their homes to reduce the risk of wildfire.

Through their efforts, they not only made their own property more defensible, but their street, neighbourhood, and ultimately the City, more resilient as a whole.

Firesmart Canada developed the Neighbourhood Recognition Program to officially recognize neighbourhoods that have taken critical steps to reduce their vulnerability to wildfire, because following FireSmart principles is most effective when neighbours band together.

If your neighbourhood, subdivision or small town is prone to wildfire, then you can get FireSmart recognition status by meeting the following criteria:

  • Enlisting a Local FireSmart Representative to complete an assessment and create a plan that identifies locally agreed-upon solutions that the neighbourhood can implement
  • Striking a Neighbourhood FireSmart Committee, which maintains the FireSmart Plan and tracks progress
  • Conducting FireSmart events each year that are dedicated to a local FireSmart project
  • Investing a minimum of $2 per capita annually in local FireSmart efforts
  • Submitting an annual report to FireSmart Canada that documents continuing compliance with the program.

Getting FireSmart recognition status not only ensures that your neighbourhood is prepared for wildfire, it can also be a great way to spend time with others in your community! For more information, please contact Erin Robinson at 250-255-6002.

Photo: FireSmart Canada
 

Resilient Forest Workshops in Quesnel

In January, the TRIA research project held a series of workshops at the Quesnel Forestry Innovation Centre. The workshops invited people in the Quesnel area to reflect on their experiences with forest management and envision the forest of the future. Participants discussed the long-term impacts of mountain pine beetle, what values and issues matter most in how we manage forests, and what strategies and approaches should be used to manage the forest of the future. This workshop series is part of a research study that looks at Quesnel as a case study for understanding how to manage risks to forests, such as large-scale pest outbreaks. To find out more about the project or to participate in a future workshop, contact triacollaborative@carleton.ca.
 

Forest Enhancement Society of BC

Thank-you to Gord Pratt, Senior Manager from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) for presenting to Quesnel City Council on February 7th about FESBC funded projects in Quesnel and area. Earlier in February, FESBC published an article on Quesnel’s extensive fuel management work that has been made possible through the generous support of FESBC and the Community Resilience Investment Program.
 

Praise for Quesnel’s Forestry Initiatives Program

Quesnel’s Forestry Initiatives Program was praised by the UBC Learning Landscape Laboratory for being a hub of research, learning and collaboration. The Forestry Initiatives Program is attracting both domestic and international researchers to help us face our challenges locally, while contributing to a global conversation on resiliency.

Photo: Students from the UBC Learning Landscape Lab in 2021 during their visit to West Fraser’s Tree Farm Licence to see Innovative logging practices

"The world needs more hubs of exchange so we can collectively make the changes necessary for resilient, sustainable and prosperous forest communities."
Dr. James Langston, UBC Learning Landscapes Laboratory
 

FireSmart at the Boots and Toques Winter Carnival

It was a wintery afternoon for the Boots and Toques Winter Carnival in January! Thank-you to BC Wildfire Service for keeping the marshmallow fires burning and thank-you to Dominic Robinson for volunteering to hand out FireSmart information and calendars.

L: Winter Carnival attendees keeping warm by the fire
R: Volunteer Dominic Robinson handing out FireSmart educational materials and calendars

Learn more about the Forestry Initiatives Program today!