On Saturday, the Creston Valley Firesmart Resiliency Committee hosted an open house to share information on what’s being done to prevent fires in the community.
The CVFRC is made up of multiple groups, including the Town of Creston, RDCK, Yaqan Nukiy, BC Wildfire Service, Ministry of Forests, and more.
Fire Chief Jared Riel explains what exactly they do.
“A bunch of interested parties have come together to form this committee to basically talk about the shared interests in the valley when it comes to Fire Smarting properties and then fuel mitigation projects that could happen in the Creston Valley. We recognize the importance of that community engagement piece when it comes to Fire Smarting and wildfire fuel mitigation.”
The open house was a kickoff for the committee so they can get to know each other and the questions raised by the community.
Riel says community engagement was their main objective.
“I think that over the last few years, we’ve seen some devastating wildfires affect communities across the country. And so we need to start taking a proactive approach, both at the government level and at the personal level. People need to understand what they can do on their properties to protect their homes and their livelihoods.”
Riel says wildfires are a rising concern, especially following the start of the wildfire season in Canada.
“I think it’s a top priority for everybody And as I said, we’ve seen some big fires, devastation across the country, so it’s top of mind for a lot of people. A lot of people are asking questions about what they can do and are looking for some education about it. So it’s really important it’s come to the forefront.”
Riel says there are a few ways to reduce wildfire risk at your own home.
“I think it comes down to maintaining your property, whether it’s storage of firewood, or just taking care of the grasses as they dry out over the course of the summer.”
“It’s just about kind of taking care and maintaining what you have.”