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Grants will reduce wildfire risks in Southeast Fire Centre

Nelson Daily Staff
By Nelson Daily Staff
July 12th, 2019

In a media release, the B.C. government said it has allocated another $1,413,349 in Community Resiliency Investment program grants to eight local governments and First Nations communities in the Southeast Fire Centre to help support wildfire risk reduction projects.

These grants are part of a second round of 44 grants distributed province-wide from the program’s first application intake.

They are in addition to the more than $6 million in funding provided to 85 municipalities, regional districts and First Nations throughout British Columbia in May 2019.

“The use of FireSmart principles is one of the best ways to safeguard our neighbourhoods,” said Nelson-Creston MLA Michelle Mungall in a media release. “These eight additional Community Resiliency Investment grants will help protect more communities within the Southeast Fire Centre.”

The total number of Community Resiliency Investment program grants allocated provincewide to date is 129, amounting to more than $9.8 million.

“The last two summers have shown the need for better preparation in advance of wildfire seasons,” said Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.

“To help keep people and communities as safe as possible, it’s more important than ever that we invest in programs that reduce the risk.”

The B.C. government has committed $60 million to the Community Resiliency Investment program to help local governments and First Nations reduce the risk of wildfire through the promotion and use of FireSmart principles. The program, launched in September 2018, replaces the Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative.

“It’s tremendously encouraging to see governments and communities working together to mitigate wildfire risks,” said Katrine Conroy, MLA for Kootenay West​. “Everyone in B.C. understands the need to deal proactively with those threats.”

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

 A key component of the program is that it lets communities apply for funding to cover up to 100% of a wildfire risk reduction project.

The Union of B.C. Municipalities administers this program and processes grant applications. Eligible applicants facing a lower wildfire risk can apply for up to $25,000, while applicants facing a demonstrated higher wildfire risk can now apply for up to $150,000.

The application deadline for the next intake is Oct. 18, 2019. Program materials and more information about how to apply for one of these grants is available on the Union of B.C. Municipalities website at: www.ubcm.ca/cri

Recipients of Community Resiliency Investment grants in the Southeast Fire Centre include:

  • Regional District of Kootenay Boundary: $86,000 to assist with education.
  • District of Elkford: $160,123 to assist with fuel and vegetation management.
  • City of Kimberley: $681,226.45 to assist with fuel and vegetation management.
  • City of Fernie: $97,000 to assist with education, cross-training and fuel and vegetation management.
  • City of Cranbrook: $100,000 to assist with fuel and vegetation management.
  • Village of Silverton: $82,500 to assist with education, development, inter-agency co-operation, emergency planning, cross-training and FireSmart activities for private land.
  • City of Nelson: $106,500 to assist with education, planning, development, inter-agency co-operation, emergency planning, cross-training, fuel and vegetation management and FireSmart activities for private land.
  • Shuswap Band: $100,000 to assist with education, planning, fuel and vegetation management, and FireSmart activities for private land.

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