Wildfire Prevention & FireSmart

The Town of Smithers has been actively involved in reducing the risk of wildfire to our community. These efforts began in 2010 with the completion of a Community Wildfire Preparedness Plan and more recently with the completion of a new Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan in 2023.

These plans are an acknowledgement that our community, like many others, will one day be threatened by wildfire. This reality is made apparent by the increased frequency of Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) events our province has experienced since the early 1990’s – most recently through the devastating 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023, and 2024 wildfire seasons. Over this time period, our community has had several close calls with wildfire like the Powers Creek Fire in 2023 which impacted residents within the Town’s rural Fire Protection Area.

FireSmart

FireSmart is a nationally recognized program that empowers communities to proactively undertake actions that reduce the potential for, or severity of, wildfire impacts and increase their resilience to wildfire. The program is informed by a growing foundation of evidence-based scientific research that helps communities address wildfire vulnerabilities and reduce losses from wildfire events.
At its core FireSmart is based on the premise of shared responsibility and promotes integration and collaboration on wildfire prevention at all levels. To be successful it requires a community-wide commitment to FireSmart practices and principles as well as for community members to be proactive in their day-to-day lives to mitigate the risk of wildfire to their homes and properties, neighbourhoods, and community as a whole.
More information can be found on the FireSmart BC website.
As we move forward into this new reality it is more important than ever for everyone to be empowered to do their part to reduce the risk of wildfire to our community and increase our resiliency to its impacts. At the local government level this work is guided by the 7 FireSmart Disciplines and implemented by the local FireSmart program.
The 7 FireSmart Disciplines
The seven 7 FireSmart Disciplines are:
- Education
- Legislation and Planning
- Development Considerations
- Interagency Cooperation
- Cross Training
- Emergency Planning
- Vegetation Management
As a resident of the Town you have an important role to play in helping us reduce our vulnerability to wildfire. The best way to do this is by carrying out mitigation activities around your home and property. To help prioritize where to put your efforts FireSmart defines 3 Priority Zones that together makeup the Home Ignition Zone. This critical area around your home is where targeted mitigation activities will be most effective.
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Priority Zones
The 3 Priority Zones that make-up the Home Ignition Zone are described below:
- The Immediate Zone extends 1.5 m from the perimeter of a structure’s foundation and any attachments, including decks. This priority zone is critical as it includes the structure itself and is associated with many of the vulnerabilities that increase a structures vulnerability to wildfire impacts.
- The Intermediate Zone extends from the Immediate Zone (1.5 m) to a distance of 10.0 m from a structure and any attachments, including decks. This priority zone is often referred to as a fire-resistant zone and should be well-mitigated and free of combustible materials.
- The Extended Zone extends from the Intermediate Zone to a distance of 30.0 m from a structure and any attachments, including decks. In this zone vegetative fuels and outbuildings should be mitigated to reduce ember production and potential heat load contributions to primary structures.
Being FireSmart begins with keeping your property tidy and well-maintained as well as choosing fire-resistant materials when making improvements to the structures on your property. While it can be daunting to begin to FireSmart your property it is important to remember that the small things often have the biggest impact. It is likely that the mitigation activities required to address the vulnerabilities to your home and property will require a combination of your time, effort, and money to complete. Don’t let this discourage you! To support residents the local FireSmart Program is working on many initiatives to help you along the way – we’re all in this together after all!
To learn more about what you can do around your home and property visit the FireSmart BC website and be sure to check out the FireSmart Begins at Home Guide, the FireSmart BC Landscaping Hub, and the Tips to FireSmart Your Home Poster.
Feel free to reach out to our FireSmart Coordinator if you have any questions.Get In Touch Today
As part of the town's commitment to ensuring our community is prepared for a wildfire, the local FireSmart program is participating in the FireSmart BC Wildfire Mitigation Program. Through this program residents can apply to receive a free and confidential Wildfire Mitigation Assessment completed by a Smithers Fire Rescue Wildfire Mitigation Specialist. Receiving an assessment is not only a great opportunity to learn about the potential wildfire vulnerabilities around your home and property but is also the first step to becoming eligible for a FireSmart Rebate.
Book your Assessment Today
It is important to recognize that Home Ignition Zones are independent of property boundaries and where Home Ignition Zones Overlap there can be an increased risk of ignition in the event of a wildfire. This is true in many of the residential areas of our community and highlights the importance of both individual actions as well as neighbourhood participation and engagement with the FireSmart program.
FireSmart Canada Neighbourhood Recognition Program
A flagship component of the FireSmart program is the Neighbourhood Recognition Program (NRP). This program incentivizes neighbours to come together and work towards neighbourhood recognition by hosting FireSmart events and implementing FireSmart principles at the neighbourhood scale. To be successful a neighbourhood needs a local Neighbourhood Champion. If you are interested in helping your neighbourhood reduce its vulnerability to wildfire reach out to our FireSmart Coordinator today!
To help you become a Recognized Neighbourhood FireSmart Canada has launched the Neighbourhood Recognition Program Incentive which offers up to $1000 per year to support neighbourhood scale FireSmart initiatives. What are you waiting for? Reach out to our FireSmart Coordinator today to find out more.

Wildfire Preparedness

As our fire seasons get longer, and our summers get warmer and dryer it is more important than ever to ensure your household is prepared for a wildfire. Knowing where to get started can be overwhelming. Thankfully, Get Prepared Canada and Prepared BC have created useful supports to help you along the way. In addition to these supports, the 3 P’s of Emergency Preparedness can help you direct your efforts – Plan, Prepare, and Practice.

Additionally, FireSmart BC has developed several useful resources like the Emergency Wildfire Preparedness Checklist and an article on How to Check Every Box When Preparing for Wildfire. Be sure to check them out to improve your households level of emergency preparedness!

Making a plan is always a great place to start before starting any task, big or small. Although, when it comes to planning for an emergency you might find it difficult to know where to start. Fortunately, Prepared BC has developed easy to use templates and tools to help you make your emergency plan. Be sure to involve your entire household in the development of your emergency plan so that they know what to do, who to call, where to go, and what to bring with them in the event of an emergency.
Evacuations are becoming increasingly common as a result of natural hazards like wildfires. In the event of an emergency the Town may issue one of 3 Types of Evacuation Notices – an Evacuation Allert, an Evacuation Order, an Evacuation Rescinded. It is important to understand the differences between these notices as well as to Know Your Evacuation Zone, especially if you think that you will require assistance to safely evacuate.
Now that you have an idea of what to include in your household’s emergency plan it is time to prepare your household should you need to put your plan into action. Important preparedness tasks include building a Household Emergency Kit and Grab and Go Bags for all members of your household and any pets. Be sure to update or refresh your kits seasonally to ensure you have everything you need to keep you comfortable.
Practice makes perfect! It is important to review and practice putting your household emergency plan into action at least once per year, although best practice is every 6 months or seasonally as the types of hazardous events you may experience change. Make sure to test any emergency equipment that you’ve included in your kits or that you may rely upon in the event of an emergency to ensure that they are charged and working properly.

Sources of Information

Additional information on wildfires in our region may be provided by:
- the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako
- BC Wildfire Service
- Emergency Info BC
- Drive BC
- Northern Health – Wildfires and your Health
- BC Centre for Disease Control – Wildfire Smoke
- BC Hydro
- PNG