Fire Protection Services | Resources for Homeowners | Let’s Be FireSmart | Fire Ban Status
Let’s Be FireSmart
The threat of wildfire is always imminent in communities if preventative measures are not taken into consideration, planned, and implemented in advance. As more new developments grow in forested areas and new dwellings are built in natural areas, the public should be aware of and united against the problems related to wildfire. There should be an awareness of preventative actions that can be taken in advance to supplement the efforts of organized firefighting services.
Forest and prairie wildfires are capable of spreading at an astonishing rate. Crowning wildfires often spread at rates of 7 kilometers per hour, and can potentially send embers as far as 2 kilometers ahead of the fire. Wind-blown prairie fires can travel at speeds in excess of 10 kilometers per hour.
In Alberta, 50 per cent of wildfires are caused by human activity. The remaining 50 per cent are sparked naturally by lightning. Over the last 10 years, an average of 1,300 wildfires a year have burned 210,000 hectares of forest annually in Alberta. Wildfires have forced the evacuation of thousands of people from their communities, and have even destroyed homes.
If you live in or near a forested area, you may be more likely to encounter a wildfire. The best way to protect yourself against loss, damage or injury is to practice FireSmart principles on your property.
By following the Home Owner’s FireSmart Manual, you can help reduce that risk.
Download a copy of The Home Owner’s FireSmart Manual.
Although we often think of Nakamun Park as an urban or semi-urban community, we are part of a much larger regional interface that is heavily forested. 2023 was a year of particular note in how at-risk our regional can be to wildfires. Regardless or if we are “urban” or “rural” making the wildland interface as “FireSmart” as possible is a step towards protecting our community, your homes and your families. Please review the resource material provided and consider ways to make your property more FireSmart.