The devastating fire in Fort McMurray along with the fires near Fort St. John has prompted residents to contact myself, council members, and City staff requesting information on what the city does prepare itself should a forest fire occur in our area.
My heart goes out to the citizens of Northern Alberta, especially Fort McMurray and parts of Northern British Columbia, who have been affected by forest fires this spring. We remember all too clearly the fire of 1998 and the stress and confusion that comes with a disaster of this magnitude.
I want to welcome the Fort McMurray evacuees who have made their way here and are currently staying with friends or family members. We understand you have been through a very difficult time and are anxiously waiting to hear about the state of your home or business and when you can return home. We wish you the very best and hope your stay with us is as pleasant as possible.
In terms of protecting our citizens the City of Salmon Arm partners with the District of Sicamous and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District to administer the Shuswap Emergency Program. The mandate of the program is to provide emergency planning, mitigation, preparedness and recovery for the geographical area which generally encompasses Shuswap Lake. We have 85 volunteers and 45 local authority staff who are all trained in emergency management as well as 2 structural sprinkler protection units.
Fire Chief Brad Shirley is currently promoting Fire Smart initiatives by way of the City website, Facebook, and Twitter. In addition, he is planning a public Fire Smart meeting in the near future.
Wildfires are unpredictable and interface fires present unique challenges and obstacles. By being practical and proactive it is possible to reduce the risk of wildfire before it threatens your home and community. Please visit http://bcwildfire.ca/prevention/docs/homeowner-firesmart.pdf for precautions to minimize the likelihood of igniting a fire on your property and steps you can take to reduce the impact of wildfire
There have been a number of fundraising events hosted by local businesses and service clubs to support Red Cross efforts in Fort McMurray. At this time, the City supports the efforts to raise funds to help those who have been impacted. While there is a lot of work ahead, the Federal and Alberta Governments have so far committed to supporting the fundraising efforts by matching financial contributions. Please exercise caution when giving financial donations to unknown standalone individuals as disasters unfortunately bring out disreputable opportunists who prey on those who just want to help.
In closing, be cautious, look up the fire smart booklet and please remember “preventing forest fires is everyone’s responsibility.”