Fire Smart

FireSmart Workshops

We are offering FREE workshops to get Bowen Island residents familiar with and participating in the FireSmart program. Get your neighbours together and host in your home, or we can host groups at the fire hall. Join us to learn what you can do to make your home and your island more resilient to wildfires. There's lots of time for Q&A, so bring your questions!

We are also offering FREE home and property assessments - contact us if you'd like to learn more about risks to your home and possible steps you can take to mitigate them.

What is FireSmart?

It’s Time To Get FireSmart About Wildfires In BC from FireSmartBC on Vimeo.

Fire Smart is an initiative to help property owners understand the ways in which wildfire might threaten structures and property located in, and close to, forested and wildland areas, and the steps individuals and communities can take to reduce the susceptibility of buildings and property to fire.

Protecting your home from wildfire starts with simple actions. Whether you are doing regular yard maintenance or making large scale changes during renovations or landscaping, you can make choices that will help protect your home from wildfire.

For example;

Clearing all plants and other vegetation from within 10m of a structure
Ensuring that there are no trees or other vegetation overhanging the roof
When planting new trees consider planting deciduous species such as birch and aspen

We can show you how to make FireSmart actions that can protect your property, including measures related to:

Home Construction
Yard and landscaping
Vegetation and fuels
Access for first responders
Farm or Acreage

New in 2019: Free home assessments, chipper time and rebates!

Get involved in the FireSmart program and you could be eligible for FREE on-site chipping or rebates of up to $250 per property.

Here's how:

Step 1: Schedule a free home assessment from one of our certified local FireSmart representatives.

Step 2: Complete the activities recommended in the assessment (for example: landscaping, removal of combustible debris, pruning trees, etc.)

Step 3: Apply for your rebate or chipper time.

About the chipper time

You must have a community assessment done by one of our qualified local FireSmart representatives. Five or more properties in your area need to participate. We will bring the wood chipper to your neighbourhood.

About the rebates

You must have a home assessment done by one of our qualified local FireSmart representatives. We'll reimburse you 50% of the costs for work completed on your property as recommended in your FireSmart assessment, up to $250 per property.

FireSmart begins at home

The Bowen Island Fire Department encourages residents to take steps to protect your home from wildfire. The FireSmart program can help you figure out how.

Wildfires become particularly devastating when they encroach on human settlements and critical infrastructure. When this occurs, they are considered Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fires and can be extremely destructive.

Many residential dwellings on Bowen Island are surrounded by dense forest and low-lying brush,
increasing the vulnerability to WUI fire spread.