A Salmon Arm community has been taking precautions to protect against wildfires, earning themselves an official FireSmart Neighbourhood nod.
Homeowners at the Carriage Lane community along Highway 97B have been working to clean up their properties and surrounding spaces to reduce the risk of fires starting and catching in the trees and wooded areas near their homes.
On Saturday, May 13, the community was honoured with an official FireSmart Neighbourhood recognition from the Salmon Arm Fire Department and mayor and council. The FireSmart status comes with a sign denoting the community’s hard work at the neighbourhood’s entrance.
“It takes leaders, community leaders, to make things go,” said Mayor Alan Harrison in a short speech thanking the neighbourhood. “We can’t control what everybody else is doing, we have to take care of ourselves. It’s risk and reward and these are the small steps we take that can benefit everyone.”
There are 30 units in Carriage Lane and 29 are currently occupied. Community members, who were volunteering their time on Saturday morning to continue cleaning up the corners of their property lots, said nearly everyone is active in the work bees they put on.
Fire Services officer Carmen Guidos applauded the neighbours for their dedication.
“It’s a big accomplishment,” he said. “It’s more than just a group of people cleaning up, it’s sweat equity, it’s time, it’s worth it.”
For more information about registering for and keeping a FireSmart recognition, visit salmonarm.ca and navigate to FireSmart under the Residents tab.
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READ MORE: Columbia Shuswap Regional District awaits funding for FireSmart
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