LFR of the month

1. Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover? I live in Baynes Lake in the East Kootenays. I am responsible for the Regional District of East Kootenay electoral areas A & B, otherwise known as The Elk Valley and South Country.

2. How long have you been an LFR? I have been an LFR since the spring of 2023

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart?The decision to become an LFR was an easy one, as my work and life experience up to this point consisted of managing an exterior finishing company, running my own landscaping company, and being a passionate member of my local fire department, with a special interest in wildland firefighting. In depth knowledge of these areas has allowed me to better assist homeowners and neighbourhoods on their FireSmart journeys.

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as an LFR ? One of my initial challenges was gaining and building trust within my Electoral Areas. Through extensive outreach and consistent community involvement, I was able to create relationships that better helped me move the program forward.

Helping homeowners keep focus on the Home Ignition Zones can be challenging. It’s important to look at what can be done on their own properties, and some people spend time and energy looking at things that need to be done in neighbouring yards and other community spaces.

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program? As I mentioned above, building relationships can be challenging but I believe I have had great success in making those connections and gaining the trust of residents within my area.
The Neighbourhood Recognition Program has been my focus and I currently have over 20 engaged communities, with more joining every day.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program? My favourite project has been our first annual Ember Stomp, a Wildfire Community Preparedness Day event, that was hosted in Jaffray. I was able to bring together multiple agencies, including FireSmart BC - Landscaping Expert, Carla Hoffman, BC Wildfire, BC Ministry of Forests – Wildfire Risk Reduction, Vahana Goats and BC Cattlemen’s Association - Targeted Grazing Projects, and over a dozen more, to provide wildfire preparedness information as well as conservation and mitigation outreach to the public.

7. What advice would you give to other LFR’s? No event is too small to attend. Some of the most engaged residents I have found have been at a pancake breakfast or quilting club meeting. Creating opportunities to have meaningful one-on-one conversations has been key.

8. What is your favourite of aspect of the FireSmart BC website ?I appreciate the easy access to great resources and educational videos that I can share with my residents.

1. Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover? I live in xwesam/Roberts Creek, we cover the Squamish Nation Stelḵáya through shishalh Nation Swiya (the Sunshine Coast). Port Mellon to Egmont and the Island Communities.

2. How long have you been an LFR? I have been a volunteer LFR since 2020, and in the FireSmart Coordinator role since July of 2023.

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart?It was an opportunity to work more on the proactive side of Firefighting, as a structural Firefighter we always respond to situations, this is a very empowering side of the coin. The fact that when our pager goes off, it means that someone is having a crummy day, our job is to try and make it just a little bit better, with the FireSmart Program we get to empower people, it always seems to be a powerful uplifting experience.

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as an LFR ? The number one challenge is getting people to realize that the landscaping practices we used to utilize in a new build, or around existing buildings are no longer practical, or safe. The second challenge is getting the message out that while we say we like to live in a natural setting, or natural forest, what we see now is not natural. There have been too many human influences that have moved these settings from a natural setting and left an incredible amount of fuel on the forest floor.

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program? I believe our biggest success has been in the Public Outreach portion of our program, there has been lots of good feedback, and appreciation of what our FireSmart Team is accomplishing. Our team is made up of dedicated individuals that are deeply passionate about the FireSmart program. There has been a lot of great interaction with our local Churches, Community Association, Service Clubs, etc. Every time we are at an event it creates a demand for FireSmart Homeowner Assessments, which in turn creates a local FireSmart Champion, usually followed up with a Community Wildfire Risk Assessment, and then a presentation to the community.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program? There have been a lot of really great events, we are quite young in the development of our program, and we are just starting to make headway in Wildfire Preparedness Days and FireSmart Days. I would have to say that the two that stand out would be the Girl Guides Program with Camp Olave, and the work with our Gambier Island Community Associations.

7. What advice would you give to other LFR’s? Get out there, be at every possible community event, utilize your community contacts. Know that every single event you attend will generate FireSmart Homeowner Assessments. Even if it is just one request, it is one more than you had going into the event, and the word will soon spread, and continue to spread. Focus on the brand awareness and FireSmart will become more and more of a household name.

8. What is your favourite of aspect of the FireSmart BC website ?Hands down the Landscaping Hub, in particular the Fire-Resistant Plants, and the Low-Risk Plants for Hedges. We always get asked about these, it is easy to point out what shouldn’t be in the Immediate Zone and the Intermediate Zone, but we provide positive options. Both of which we send out with each assessment done.

1. Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover? I live in Christina Lake. The areas I covered were Christina Lake, Grand Forks and Greenwood. Occasionally doing an assessment in Trail, Fruitvale and Bridesville.

2. How long have you been an LFR? 2023 was my first year as an LFR.

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart?I was fairly new to the community and with a background in Health and Safety and being part of Christina Lake Fire Hall, this seemed like a great opportunity to use my skills and meet people in the area. Going to markets and meeting homeowners was a great way to meet people and get to know the area I live in.

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as an LFR ? 1. Organising time to write up assessments as there was a lot of uptake in the area and I was completing two assessments a day for most of the season. 2. Doing home assessments when the homeowners weren’t around (with their permission of course) as neighbours would come and wonder who I was and what I was up to. It always ended well with more opportunity to spread the word about FireSmart and it’s good to see a good community with people watching out for one another.

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program? The huge uptake. Doing around 140 assessments in the 2023 season when I aimed for around 100, felt like a great success for my community. I met wonderful people and saw amazing properties in the area. I really got to explore the Kootenay Boundary.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program? The farmers markets were great. The Big Effort Swim event with the FireSmart tent set up on the beach was awesome. My favourite event was probably Canada Day at the Museum in Grand Forks. There was a lot of excitement and uptake for the program. However, Founders Day in Greenwood was also super busy with lots of interest and it was big success for sign ups and giving out information too.

7. What advice would you give to other LFR’s? Plan ahead for admin time. Keep in touch with peers as they are a great resource as this job is remote and not in an office surrounded by people. Plan to be 5-10 minutes early for assessments as some properties can take a little extra time to locate. Plan events together with other LFR’s as events with two people are much easier to manage.

8. What is your favourite of aspect of the FireSmart BC website ? I love the stories of Ember and her adventures. There are some great resources such as free training too. It’s good that all of this is available.

1. Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover? I live in Metchosin and am the FireSmart Coordinator for the district of Metchosin.

2. How long have you been an LFR? I have been an LFR since the summer of 2021.

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart?-I have been a structural firefighter for 6 years with the Metchosin Fire Department and had the opportunity to deploy to the wildfires in 2021. This sparked my interest in the wildfire side of firefighting and made me eager to spread the knowledge of FireSmart through our community here in Metchosin.

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as an LFR ? I find residents can get overwhelmed with the amount of work that needs to be done to make their property truly FireSmart. It can often be a challenge for homeowners to understand that this is a gradual process that doesn’t all have to be completed immediately. We especially see challenges with helping seniors, who often can’t do the work themselves. The rebates offered through FireSmart are a huge help along with being able to offer mitigation assistance with our 2024 grant!

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program? Our FireSmart program has found huge success in our community chipping program. We offer neighbourhood chipping days along with providing a drop off chipping pile that can be accessed at any time.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program? Our FireSmart program has found huge success in our community chipping program. We offer neighbourhood chipping days along with providing a drop off chipping pile that can be accessed at any time.

7. What advice would you give to other LFR’s? Be patient, community involvement doesn’t happen overnight.

8. What is your favourite of aspect of the FireSmart BC website ? FireSmart Landscape Hub! The fire-resistant plant tool is a great easy resource to use, it gives the home owners lots of safer plant options to choose from.

1. Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover? I live in Kelowna, and work for the City of West Kelowna as the Wildfire Prevention Specialist/FireSmart Coordinator.

2. How long have you been an LFR? I have been an LFR since the Spring of 2022.

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart?I worked on a Unit Crew with BC Wildfire for several years and had made the move to the Wildfire Risk Reduction Program with the Ministry of Forests to focus on prevention rather than suppression. Becoming an LFR was an excellent wat to get further involved with Wildfire Prevention and supporting change at a grassroots level.

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as an LFR ? Helping people focus on what’s within their control. People are passionate about fire, emotions can get high and its easy to point fingers at the neighbors yard. using FireSmart to educate people on the small things they can do to make big differences is really rewarding. Shifting the focus from others to those little tasks that are within the homeowner’s sphere of control can be challenging.

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program? We have been offering the rebate program in West Kelowna for a few years. This year I did a HIZ assessment on a home in early August. The Homeowner immediately started working on some of the recommendations. we were impacted by the McDougall Creek Wildfire just a week later. The homeowners home survived, while others in the neighborhood had not. She called to thank the FireSmart Team here in West Kelowna and that conversation was really special. Seeing the FireSmart program in action and seeing the outcome it can have during an event of that magnitude was really cool.

In general, we have a great FireSmart Family Day and Local Grant program, that we have been building for a few years now.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program? We have an annual open house in West Kelowna at the Firehall we call FireSmart Family Day. It was an excellent way to kickoff our FireSmart program for the year and connect with members of the public and promote FireSmart. We did a Cedar hedge burn demonstration this year with a prop that illustrated the different building materials and their resilience to wildfire. The experience really resonated with members of the public and illustrated the dangers of coniferous vegetation that we see here in the Okanagan region.

7. What advice would you give to other LFR’s? Get involved with others in your area that are involved with FireSmart. I have had some great advice and guidance from LFRs throughout the Okanagan and beyond. Wildfire resilience is everyone’s responsibility and its been my experience that there’s allot of knowledge out there and people who are willing to share.

8. What is your favourite of aspect of the FireSmart BC website ? FireSmart in Action and similar resources. Seeing different communities and individuals’ approach to Wildfire prevention is really interesting and inspiring when looking at challenges in your own community.

1. Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover? I live in Salmon Arm and am responsible for the FireSmart Program across the seven electoral areas of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District.

2. How long have you been an LFR? I have been an LFR for five years.

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart? Five years ago I was asked to help get our regional district FireSmart Program started. At the time I would say I wildly underestimated what that actually meant. Oddly enough it has turned into probably the most rewarding job I have ever had.

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as an LFR ? 1. Misinformation: I deal with it every day. From incorrect news stories to just bad information people get from a variety of sources. I spend a lot of time re-educating people on hazards, mitigation techniques and our #1 enemy – embers.
2. Reaching rural and high risk residents: We have come a long way over the past five years but many of our most vulnerable and high risk properties are rural and remote. Reaching them is not as simple as an advertisement or an event. If anyone has ideas send them my way!

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program? I feel like we are finally achieving scale in the Shuswap. This has been challenging, but we have taken a complex and overwhelming topic and put it into pieces people can understand. When we talk to residents and community groups we talk specific hazards and priorities, then develop plans and milestones to make resiliency achievable. This can be a confusing topic but I think we have a process now that anyone can understand.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program? As the FireSmart Coordinator for me it is a little bigger than one event or project. We have taken what was a concept five years ago and now deliver a full wildfire risk reduction program to residents. Watching communities reduce risk with good information and resources that didn’t exist for them a few years ago feels very good.

7. What advice would you give to other LFR’s? My advice is to ‘work with the coalition of the willing’. You may not ever convince every person the risk is real or that they can make a difference in their own property risk profile so find the ones that want to take action and support them as best you can. The early adopters or the champions willing to take action help you demonstrate what can be done. They are the best advertising for your program and allow you to focus on the right people.

8. What is your favourite of aspect of the FireSmart BC website ? The one I use the most is the Landscaping Guide and Hub. This is really important. People want plant life and green spaces around their homes without feeling like their little piece of paradise needs to be paved to make it wildfire resilient. There are a lot of safer plant and landscaping options versus what many homes have today. Demonstrating their home can be green, safe and look good is important.

1. Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover? I live in the Ashcroft area and mainly focus on the Community of the Ashcroft Indian Band.

2. How long have you been an LFR? I have been an LFR for about 1 year. But, I have been managing the Band’s Fire Mitigation program for about 3 years now.

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart? I have been working for the Ashcroft Indian Band for over 4 years. I started managing the Fire Mitigation and Emergency Readiness and Response Program three years ago. I started out as the FireSmart Champion, and the natural progression was to take on the LFR role as well. Since the 2017 Wildfire our main focus at the Band is Fire Mitigation and doing the best we can to make sure we are better prepared if another wildfire strikes in our area again.

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as an LFR? One is definitely getting people on board with the fire mitigation program, making sure that homes, decks and yards are “Firesmart” and free of flammable fuels and debris.

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program? We have an amazing crew that works tirelessly from early Spring to late Fall. We have multiple community clean ups, our staff are constantly weed-eating, mowing, removing debris, flammable fuels and maintaining fire guards. We’ve started our tree replacement program, removing flammable coniferous trees around homes and replacing them with the nice green leafy deciduous trees. Since the 2017 wildfire, all of our new builds use Firesmart materials, Hardy Board siding and metal roofs. We are also working on a burn plan to conduct cultural and prescribed burns in the Spring and Fall.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program? One of my favourite projects has been the regreening of the community. We have been working hard to replace the trees lost in the 2017 wildfire, while providing privacy for homes and shade for our community members, as well as beautifying the landscape.

7. What is your favourite of aspect of the FireSmart BC website ? I like how easily accessible handouts are.

1. Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover? Nelson, I cover the entire Regional District of Central Kootenay

2. How long have you been an LFR? 4 years

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart? My previous experiences as a structural and wildland firefighter exposed me to the devastating effects of wildfire. I felt like education and prevention was a great way to make a positive impact on our communities.

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as an LFR ? 1) Connecting with such a large geographic area. 2) The reactive nature of people, it is sometimes difficult to keep momentum and engage in slow fire years, while in busy years, everyone wants FireSmart when their home is in danger.

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program? Most of my successes are a result of the amazing team of 6 Wildfire Mitigation Specialists I help manage here at the RDCK. Together, we complete 300 HPP assessments, work with over 30 Neighbourhood Recognition Programs and process over 100 rebates each year.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program? From a regional perspective, it has been amazing to watch all the meaningful change taking place. All the homeowners through the rebate program are truly reducing their risk to wildfire. While Neighbourhood programs have now been established for long enough that they are in a much better situation than 4 years ago. One Neighbourhood in Castlegar finally received permission from the strata council to move forward with their full FireSmart plan and they removed over 100 cedar hedges from within the non-combustible zones last year. This was a 4-5 year process of working very closely with the neighbourhood.

7. What advice would you give to other LFR’s? Be patient and accommodating. Recognize this isn’t going to happen over night and work hard to provide unique solutions to individuals FireSmart situations.

8. What is your favourite of aspect of the FireSmart BC website ? After each assessment, we like to provide a link to the digital copies of the various guides and manuals found on the website. Very helpful.

1. Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover? I live in Peachland and cover the District of Peachland while occasionally partnering with West Kelowna for events.

2. How long have you been an LFR? I have been an LFR since 2021.

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart?Peachland Fire and Rescue Service was looking to expand our FireSmart program. They hoped to have an experienced paid-on-call member do the LFR training and help with the program. I figured since I had been on a few wildfire deployments for structure protection, it would be a great chance to bring my experiences with wildfire to help my community become more resilient and expand my knowledge of FireSmart. It has been an amazing opportunity to solidify some knowledge and learn so much more while helping the residents of my community.

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as an LFR ? I tend to struggle with helping homeowners plan FireSmart landscaping that works with their property and personal preference while being affordable. The other struggle I face is with homes that are on a slope that only junipers are holding. It can be difficult to come up with a plan for maintaining slope stability while trying to promote FireSmart principles.

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program? I would say getting and implementing a successful rebate program. It has been amazing seeing the increased engagement from community members. We also have an overwhelming interest in requests for home hazard ignition assessments that we promoted through educational programs. And an oversubscribed neighbourhood chipping days that residents help plan and execute themselves.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program? Last year I worked with a neighbourhood that wanted to be a part of the neighbourhood recondition program. The event they held was a work day where they filled a 40-yard bin with coniferous debris. They paired this event with a FireSmart info booth to include the residents who were unable to help with the manual labour. After hours of work, they held a barbecue where they thanked all the residents who volunteered as well as the firefighters who came out to help.

7. What advice would you give to other LFR’s? My advice would have to be to ask the homeowner what their primary concern regarding their property and wildfire is. I have found that usually, they are worried about the forest nearby, the mountain above, or their neighbour's property. By addressing their concerns first I have found that afterwards the homeowner can feel at ease and be more receptive to the recommendations regarding their home. Rather than thinking about their concerns the whole assessment and not being fully present.

8. What is your favourite of aspect of the FireSmart BC website ? My favourite part of the website would have to be the FireSmart BC Landscaping Hub. It is a great tool that allows homeowners to make informed decisions with their landscaping to help it become more wildfire resilient.

1. Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover? I live in Lillooet. Most of my work occurs in Lillooet, the Fraser Canyon, and the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District.

2. How long have you been an LFR? Since 2017.

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart? My employer at the time needed an LFR to get a rebate program going so I attended a training session in Kamloops. I learned a lot about how houses burn that I hadn’t known before, and found the information really useful for my own house, so I’m glad to be able to share this information with my community. The LFR work has been especially rewarding during the past few years when my community was heavily impacted by wildfires. FireSmart work helps us feel more secure and in control when there are wildfires at the doorstep.

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as a LFR? It can be challenging to make recommendations that balance FireSmart principles with homeowner’s needs for privacy, shade, water availability, habitat, etc. Another challenge is that as a forest technologist I don’t have a background in some components of the FireSmart assessments such as landscaping, home construction and structural firefighting.

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program? In 2021/22 I worked on a project with the District of Lillooet and Squamish-Lillooet Regional District where we offered free labourers and arborists to seniors for up to 2 days per property. It was amazing to see some of the property transformations and how much more secure the homeowners felt after the work was done. The program really helped reduce the barriers that a lot of people face with FireSmart, such as financial capacity, physical ability and access to professionals on remote properties.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program? I helped organize a community cleanup day at the Enchanted Forest at Gun Lake. About 20 of us got together and thinned out the understory, pruned trees and stacked burn piles. It was pretty fun to find bug sculptures, gnome houses and random enchanted scenes as we worked.

7. What advice would you give to other LFR’s? FireSmart home assessments can be intimidating for some homeowners because they think they’ll have to clearcut everything. It helps to ask them what their goals/values are, tell them about the wildfire risks on their properties, and make recommendations that work with their vision for the property.

8. What is your favourite of aspect of the FireSmart BC website? The research section is really helpful and makes it easy to stay updated.

1. Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover? I reside in the City of Penticton and cover this area as well!

2. How long have you been an LFR? I completed my LFR training in May of 2021.

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart? I had started my new position as the FireSmart Team Lead for the City of Penticton’s FireSmart Program. The LFR training became available, and this was a great opportunity to start hunkering down on FireSmart basics. Now that I have this knowledge, I want to continue to share this knowledge with residents in the City of Penticton. Penticton is located in a wildfire-prone area, and I want all homeowners to know what they can do to become more resilient to wildfire.

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as a LFR? 1. Creating a change in behaviour once FireSmart assessments have been completed. Many residents know their hazards after receiving a FireSmart Home Assessment, but struggle to make the change. 2. Supporting an older demographic through the Neighbourhood Recognition Program which must be applied on through the portal now!

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program? More and more people are recognizing FireSmart and the FireSmart team, and more people are having a better understanding of the FireSmart principles. Especially kids. They have been like sponges to the FireSmart educational material. It has also been great to see communities/neighbourhoods come together for the first time because of FireSmart. Through the FCNRP neighbours are meeting neighbours for the first time, it is awesome to see that sense of community made possible through this program.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program? My favourite event this far was a FireSmart information session specific to landscaping. This information session was for a Gardening group that met monthly and they were curious as to what FireSmart landscaping really was. After this event, they all went back to their neighbourhoods and shared what they had learned. Seeing how all of this information has different avenues to disseminate into the community has been neat!

7. What advice would you give to other LFR’s? Take the opportunity to learn everything and anything that relates to FireSmart! There is so much information out there, and homeowners always seem to think of the most bizarre questions. So, the more information you can have in your toolkit may benefit you somewhere down the road. Having more knowledge on FireSmart also allows for LFRs to have a better overall view of the FireSmart program.

8. What is your favourite of aspect of the FireSmart BC website? The FireSmart BC Landscaping Hub! This is a great resource for people looking to complete some FireSmart landscaping. I like how it breaks down the plants into trees, shrubs, groundcover, etc. I am also excited to see the development of the FireSmart Community Forum. This will be an excellent resource for LFRs and FireSmart Coordinators.

1.Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover?

Central interior of the province near Bouchie Lake and cover Quesnel and the North Cariboo

2. How long have you been an LFR?

4 years

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart?

I’ve worked in the Forest industry for > 30 years as an RPF and after I retired the opportunity came along to share the fireSmart concepts with the community so I jumped at it as I believe in the concepts and seen the results first hand, so sharing the information is a natural fit for me.

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as an LFR?

A. Getting the message out in a variety of ways to as many people as possible

B. Getting municipalities and larger businesses to see the benefits of reducing the risk around their infrastructure and utilize firesmart practices in new construction

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program?

Working with a local church where we worked on a neighbourhood plan as they proved a venue for meetings and helped spread the message amongst their parishioners.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program?

Working on a neighbourhood plan with community members and seeing the growth in the concepts and their pride in their efforts as they spread the message to their neighbours.

7. What advice would you give to other LFR’s?

Always look at any and all opportunities to spread the message, I find it is like a pair of glasses and once you put them on, you can never take them off.

8. What is your favourite aspect of the FireSmart BC website?

The wide variety of resources that are at your fingertips and the support that is provided when necessary.

1. Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover? I live in Kimberley, BC and I primarily cover the City of Cranbrook and RDEK Electoral Areas C and E, however, can provide support to residents throughout the Regional District of East Kootenay.

2. How long have you been an LFR? I took the LFR course in winter 2020 but didn’t work as an LFR until spring 2022.

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart? My experiences working on a Unit Crew with BC Wildfire Service and my understanding of the changing reality of wildfires in the WUI. When I moved on from the wildfire service, I wanted to continue with work related to wildfire, and wanted to be able to share my knowledge and experiences to motivate change.

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as an LFR? Finding individuals willing to commit their time and energy to acting as a community champion. Engaging with “nay-sayers” in communities.

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program Working with champions who start off overwhelmed by the FCNRP process, supporting them and simplifying the process for them, and helping them be successful, [and] finding new engagement opportunities.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program? I really enjoy giving presentations to community groups and schools! This year I gave presentations to a Cubs group, summer camps, Grade 3 classes, and two branches of the Rotary Club.

7. What advice would you give to other LFR’s? Meet people where they are at! Not everyone can commit to making expensive home retrofits or participating in the FCNRP. Help them find the components of your program that are accessible to them and will make an impact for their home.

8. What is your favourite of aspect of the FireSmart BC website? The amount of valuable information! It feels easy to get people connected with a meaningful resource hub by sending them to the FS BC website.

1. Where do you live and what geographical area do you cover? I live in Fort St John, and our program covers the Peace River Regional District, which is the largest regional district at 119,200 km2.

2. How long have you been an LFR? I’ve been an LFR for 2 years.

3. What made you decide that you wanted to be an LFR and support homeowners and neighbourhoods on how to become FireSmart?Working on wildfires for 14 seasons between Canada and Australia, I have seen firsthand how being proactive and managing fuels can keep communities, homeowners and firefighters safe. The lightbulb moment for me was in 2017 when I was scouting a line to construct a dozer guard behind homes, I came across a property which had lamas, sheep and goats. They had grazed the understory so well that we didn’t need to construct a guard at all. The portion of the fire that had been managed by the animals required almost no firefighting. I love getting the opportunity to empower homeowners to manage their own wildfire risk. FireSmart is literally a smarter way to fight fire!

4. What would you say are your 2 biggest challenges as an LFR ? In our Peace Region, the distances can be a challenge. It’s normal to drive 2-4 hours to do an event or assessment. Last year we drove the equivalent of across Canada and back delivering the program. We have improved at scheduling our assessments and events so that we get the most out of our trips.

Finding champions and volunteers can also be a challenge. With the season being so short, there are only so many snow-free weekends in a year and people’s time is so valuable to them. We have found that existing societies and associations are a great place to find proactive people that care about the community.

5. What are some of your successes with the FireSmart program? Each year we have completed 100 property assessments. We had our first recognized neighborhood last year in One Island Lake, and we are expecting to add a couple more this year. We have also been assessing and mitigating critical infrastructure in the region with 10 sites mitigated this year.

6. What has been your favourite project/event you have done with your local FireSmart Program? Our Wildland Urban Interface training event in the North Peace was really rewarding. We had three local fire departments, along with BCWS crews working on a “mock” fire at the Tse'K'wa Heritage Society archaeological site. The event focused on developing interagency relationships while sharing tactics, knowledge and tools for the WUI environment. A fuel free that was constructed as part of the event is now being developed as an access trail for visitors with limited mobility. The heritage society gave the firefighters a tour of the cave at the end of the event. It amazing to learn about the Dunne-za and the cultural heritage of the area. I was really excited that the event turned out to be advantageous to all parties!

7. What advice would you give to other LFR’s? I would say get outside! Everything good in the program seems to come from being outside, shaking hands and networking. It’s easy for people to scroll past a Facebook post or ignore an email, but when you meet people face to face, you can have a lasting impact and develop relationships that can really move the program ahead. It does take time.

My favorite quote is: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” Lao Tzu

8. What is your favourite of aspect of the FireSmart BC website ?

I would say hands down the LFR of the Month. Lol

I use the resource in the LFR den all the time. It’s nice to have on hand, and you know that it’s always up to date.

9. Craig – you shared with FireSmart BC how you utilized the 2022 FireSmart BC Spring Summer Campaign – what did you do? How did it go? I really liked FireSmartBC’s campaign this year. I thought the ads were fun and gave people real feedback on how their actions affect their fire risk, so we decided to take the idea and run with it.

For our preparedness days, we built four fire danger rating signs and had them attached to posters showing properties with different wildfire hazards and others with mitigated hazards. All the kids that attended our events had a passport that got stamped when they moved the needle on the signs to reflect the hazard in the poster. Once they had their four stamps (spelling FIRE) they received an ice cream from the Ember freezer. It was really fun and engaging for the kids and helped us reach a lot of parents.

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Current recipient

Christina Kelly

Nominate a LFR

Current recipient

Christina Kelly

Nominate a LFR

Previous LFRs of the month

Jessica Chalmers

David McIlwraith

Brandon Dennis

Rachael McMahon

David Mckay

Gloria Lejour

Bryce Stirling

Len Youden

Roy Spinks

Daniel Funk

Tammy Marsel

Diana Hoggard

Garrett Fishlock

Brooklyn Craig

Robin Strong

Miyoko McKeown

Ted Traer

Virginia Hermanson

Craig Wilson