Community Protection
The forests of the western Arctic, under the right weather and forest fuel moisture conditions, support high-intensity wildland fires that are virtually unstoppable. These often times naturally occurring fires have the potential to spread quickly over great distances, which can place people and community infrastructure at risk. While the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) is structured and mandated to respond to wildfire on the northern landscape, critical wildfire events can exceed the immediate capacity of fire management resources to respond. By working proactively with key stakeholders, ENR is better able to cost effectively manage wildland fire risk to communities. The development of Community Wildland Fire Protection Plans fosters improved public safety, makes better use of existing suppression resources and is better able to meet resource objectives.
Community wildland fire protection planning requires extensive community and stakeholder consultation in concert with cooperative collaboration with multiple levels of government. ENR is championing an approach that assesses wildland fire threat and establishes risk management priorities at three (3) different levels of planning. At the community level, communities are being encouraged to develop and implement community protection plans for areas that include private property islands of forest fuels within the community area. ENR and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs provide the necessary technical support, risk management expertise, and data acquisition and analysis. At the wildland-urban interface level, ENR is developing FireSmart Community Interface Protection plans for areas immediately surrounding the community. At a landscape level, fire is incorporated into forest and land management planning to meet multiple ecological, economic and social objectives.
If you want to find out what you can do to reduce you or your communities wildland fire risk please contact your local ENR office.
Links
NWT FireSmart: Protecting Your Home from Wildfire
Spring Burning
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