VICTORIA, BC, May 14, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, FireSmart BC, the provincial program committed to helping British Columbians reduce their wildfire risk, launched a new campaign reminding British Columbians that wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility.

The new Our Part, Your Part campaign has a simple message: when it comes to wildfire prevention, we all have a role to play. Our part refers to the collective role of first responders and emergency organizations in preparing and responding to wildfires. Your part refers to the role residents play in preventing or mitigating wildfire by completing FireSmart tasks at home.

"Wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility," says Hannah Swift, Acting Program Lead for FireSmart BC. "Research shows that doing simple FireSmart tasks like cleaning your roof and gutters and moving combustible materials away from the home can make your property more resilient to wildfire. When individuals, business owners and the government work together, it can make a big difference in reducing community wildfire risk and impacts."

"Tackling wildfire risk reduction requires a collective approach," says Dan Stevens, FireSmart Education and Outreach Coordinator for the First Nations' Emergency Services Society (FNESS). "First Nation communities are among the highest at risk for wildfire and other emergencies. FNESS is dedicated to helping First Nations develop and sustain safer communities. By partnering with BC Wildfire Service, the BC FireSmart Committee, and other partners, we can ensure that First Nations have active participation, engagement, and access to vital wildfire prevention resources and information, including the value of FireSmart activities."

"In addition to completing FireSmart tasks, it's important to take steps to ensure you and your family are prepared for a wildfire emergency," said Lisa Barrett, Manager, Public Education, Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. "The time to make a home emergency plan and gather supplies for grab-and-go bags is before a wildfire threatens your home or community. PreparedBC, the Government of British Columbia's emergency preparedness public education program, has a variety of resources and information that can help."

The 2023 wildfire season was the most destructive in British Columbia's recorded history. Between April 1 and October 31, 2,245 wildfires burned more than 2.84 million hectares of forest and land - more than double the area of forest and land burned during any previous year on record. This resulted in tens of thousands of people being forced to evacuate their homes with impacts to cultural and ecological values, structures, local economies, and unquantifiable impacts to people's health and wellbeing.

Click here (firesmartbc.ca/resource/our-part-your-part/) to watch FireSmart BC's new campaign video.

The FireSmart BC website has many helpful resources, including the FireSmart BC Begins At Home Guide and the interactive FireSmart Landscaping Hub, which has an extensive list of fire-resistant plants and tips on how to create a FireSmart landscape.

Learn more at firesmartbc.ca

FireSmart BC helps build wildfire resiliency and reduce the negative impacts of fire for everyone in the province. The BC FireSmart Committee was initiated by the BC Wildfire Service in May 2017 to provide direction for wildfire prevention activities. Members of the committee include the BC Wildfire Service, FireSmart Canada, the Office of the Fire Commissioner, the Union of B.C. Municipalities, the Fire Chiefs' Association of B.C., Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR), the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C., the First Nations' Emergency Services Society of B.C. (FNESS), Indigenous Services Canada, the Ministry of Forests - Regional Operations, Parks Canada, and BC Parks.

FireSmart BC Begins At Home Guide
FireSmart Landscaping Hub
Infographic: Tips To FireSmart Your Home
FireSmart BC X (Twitter)
FireSmart BC Facebook
FireSmart BC Instagram

SOURCE FireSmart BC