Farm and Ranch Wildfire Preparedness

Agriculture faces unique challenges from wildfire. Farmers, ranchers, First Nations and governments can all take simple steps to prepare ahead of time.

On this page:

01 Protect your Farm/Ranch with FireSmart 02 Do you have a Wildfire Plan? 03 Open Burning Practices for Farms & Ranches

Farm & ranch resources are developed in partnership with

Protect your Farm/Ranch with FireSmart

Developed through decades of research and proven in real wildfire conditions, FireSmart practices greatly reduce the risk of a structure catching fire during a wildfire.

Up to 90% of structures damaged by wildfires ignite because of embers, not flames!
Embers can travel kilometers in the wind, landing on roofs, in gutters, wood piles, or getting into barns through vents and cracks.

FireSmart focuses on a structure and surrounding 30 meters—particularly the first 1.5 meters—to have the greatest impact on reducing the risk of catching fire.

Watch:
Farmers talk FireSmart

See what BC producers have to say about the Farm & Ranch Assessment

Be Ready Before the Fire

Wildfires can move fast and there can be little or no time to act – FireSmart is proactive and doesn’t rely on last-minute defenses.

Help firefighters help you: A FireSmart structure and property is easier for firefighters to protect. Structures that are not FireSmart, especially those deemed a safety risk, are challenging to protect and may be prioritized lower than FireSmart properties for structure protection.

Rooftop sprinklers can be less effective in high fire danger weather conditions, such as strong winds, and water systems can fail – sprinklers are most effective when used in addition to FireSmart practices.

Get FireSmart with a Farm & Ranch Assessment

What to expect:

  • The assessor will book time to visit your operation and look at your critical farm/ranch structures to identify risks.

  • The assessor will recommend changes to make the greatest difference in defending against structure ignition to reduce the risk of wildfire damage.

  • Some recommendations will be quick and easy to implement, and others will help with long-term planning.

  • This free assessment is conducted by professionals with FireSmart BC Farm & Ranch training.

Check out an example FireSmart BC Farm & Ranch Assessment Report for a ranch in British Columbia:

Download Example

About the process

A trained FireSmart professional will come to your farm/ranch property to conduct the assessment. They will look at each critical farm structure (barns, equipment sheds, livestock housing, fuel tanks, etc.) and the immediate 30 meters surrounding the structure to determine risks and recommendations.

The FireSmart professional will answer any questions you may have and will email a completed report after the assessment.

Farm & ranch assessments only look at farm & ranch structures and do not include your home. If you’d like to do a free home assessment at the same time as a farm & ranch assessment, you can let the assessor know and they can also conduct a free home assessment while visiting your property.

Get a free FireSmart BC Farm & Ranch Assessment:

Apply Now

Farm & Ranch Assessment FAQ’s

Questions about how to apply (including eligibility) for a Farm & Ranch Assessment, please see the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food’s Extreme Weather Preparedness for Agriculture Program

If you have been approved for a FireSmartBC Farm & Ranch Assessment by the Extreme Weather Preparedness Program, you can find a nearby fire professional to conduct the assessment here.

Any other questions can be directed to support@firesmartbc.ca

Farm & Ranch assessments are an eligible activity in CRI funding in 2026. All Local FireSmart Representatives (LFR) /Wildfire Mitigation Specialist (WMS) / FireSmart Coordinators (FSC) interested in offering farm & ranch assessments need to complete the new Farm & Ranch Training (coming soon). More information will be shared soon.

All FireSmart assessments, including farm and ranch assessments, are provided free of charge.

Only fire professionals who have completed the NEW FireSmartBC Farm & Ranch Training (coming soon) are approved to conduct Farm & Ranch Assessments for farms and ranches that have been approved for funding through the Extreme Weather Preparedness Program. If you are interested in taking this training, please email support@firesmartbc.ca

Questions can be directed to support@firesmartbc.ca

Watch:
Wildfire mitigation for the farm and ranch

Understand how wildfire can spread through a farm/ranch operation and learn simple, practical steps for mitigating this risk.

Do you have a Wildfire Plan?

Protecting structures with FireSmart is just one part of wildfire preparedness. Get prepared with a customized Wildfire Plan using the Farm & Ranch Wildfire Preparedness Guide  & Workbook:

  • prepare to take effective action during wildfire
  • communicate the plan to family, farm workers, and neighbours
  • share information with those involved in wildfire response before or during a wildfire

Download the Farm & Ranch Wildfire Plan Guide  & Workbook.

Watch:
Creating Your Operations Map

Learn the step-by-step process for completing an operations map, an important element of a wildfire plan.

Watch:
The Farm/Ranch Wildfire Plan Guide and Workbook

Open Burning Practices for Farmers and Ranchers

Farmers and ranchers face special challenges when using open fire to clear grass and stubble, debris piles, and windrows.