City of Cranbrook, City of Fernie, City of Kimberley, District of Invermere and Village of Radium Hot Springs receiving funds for wildfire-risk-reduction initiatives

The B.C. government today announced it has provided more than $2.1 million in grants to 13 local governments in the Southeast Fire Centre to support wildfire-risk-reduction initiatives and help keep communities safe.

These Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) grants are part of more than $13 million provided to 107 recipients throughout B.C. following the latest application intake in the program’s FireSmart Community Funding and Supports category.

“Last year’s devastating fire season highlighted the importance of implementing FireSmart activities around B.C. communities and, as we saw in Logan Lake, it can make a big difference,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Forests. “In Budget 2022, our government committed $90 million in community grants to complete FireSmart initiatives and fuel-management activities that will help safeguard homes and communities from wildfire threats.”

The FireSmart Community Funding and Supports category of the CRI program helps fund FireSmart-related initiatives, including priority fuel-management projects on provincial Crown land and private land. First Nations and local governments can use the money to complete wildfire-risk-reduction and prevention activities, including those on public, reserve and private land.

The Union of BC Municipalities administers the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports program. It processes grant applications in partnership with the Ministry of Forests and the First Nations’ Emergency Services Society of British Columbia. Eligible applicants facing lower wildfire risk can apply for as much as $50,000, while applicants facing demonstrated higher wildfire risk can apply for as much as $150,000. Communities can apply for funding to cover as much as 100% of the cost of their wildfire-risk-reduction projects.

Mitigating wildfire threats is a shared responsibility of the provincial government, local governments, First Nations, industry, stakeholders and individual British Columbians. The CRI program helps increase community resiliency by funding activities that promote FireSmart education, planning and opportunities for partnerships through regional FireSmart committees.

The B.C. government is providing $13,047,561 through the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports category of the Community Resiliency Investment program for 107 wildfire-risk-mitigation projects throughout British Columbia.

Southeast Fire Centre ($2,139,233 for 13 grants):

* Central Kootenay Regional District: $603,225 to assist with education, interagency co-operation, cross-training, FireSmart activities in residential areas.

* City of Cranbrook: $149,640 to assist with education, interagency co-operation, cross-training, fuel management, FireSmart activities in residential areas.

* City of Fernie: $102,525 to assist with education, development considerations, interagency co-operation, emergency planning, cross-training, FireSmart activities in residential areas.

* City of Kimberley: $150,000 to assist with education, fuel management.

* City of Nelson: $147,667 to assist with education, planning, emergency planning, cross-training, interagency co-operation, FireSmart activities in residential areas, fuel management.

* City of Rossland: $149,998 to assist with education, interagency co-operation, FireSmart activities in residential areas, fuel management.

* District of Invermere: $123,600 to assist with education, interagency co-operation, crosstraining, FireSmart activities in residential areas and critical infrastructure.

* Kootenay-Boundary Regional District: $277,725 to assist with education, planning, interagency co-operation, emergency planning, cross-training.

* Village of Kaslo: $139,100 to assist with education, interagency c-ooperation, emergency planning, FireSmart activities in residential areas and critical infrastructure, fuel management.

* Village of Midway: $91,288 to assist with education, planning, interagency co-operation, residential areas, fuel management.

* Village of Nakusp: $77,185 to assist with education, planning, development considerations, interagency cooperation, emergency planning.

* Village of Radium Hot Springs: $31,860 to assist with education, planning.

* Village of Silverton: $95,420 to assist with education, development considerations, interagency co-operation, cross-training, FireSmart activities in residential areas.

Lead image: Cranbrook like all other regional municipalities, is an island in a sea of forest, as seen from Eager Hill.  e-KNOW file photo

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