Wildfire is your fight too – and practising FireSmart™ principles is one good way to do your part to keep homes, cabins, neighbours, and communities safer.

If you’re an NWT resident, now is your chance to win one of three great prizes  by taking simple steps to reduce the risk of damage from wildfire!

Who can enter?

Residents 18 and older living in of the Northwest Territories (NWT) can enter the FireSmart™ Starts in Your Backyard contest. Only activities in the NWT will be eligible for the contest.

• Entry Form - FireSmart® Starts in Your Backyard contest

How do I enter?

1. Download the free FireSmart Begins at Home app at www.firesmartcanada.ca. This new app is easy to use on your phone and can show you how to protect your property from wildfire. You can also download and print the FireSmart Begins at Home guide if you prefer.

• Download for Apple
• Download for Android

2. Complete tasks around your home or cabin from the app to reduce wildfire risks in the Home Ignition Zone. Whether it’s removing dry leaves and pine needles around your home’s foundation, roof, gutter or deck, moving wood piles at least 10 metres from your home, or keeping your lawn mowed and watered, we want to see what you’ve done this year!

3. Tell us about it! Fill out the entry form and send an email to FireSmart_Intellifeu@gov.nt.ca with your original photos taken before and after you completed FireSmart work to protect your home. There is a limit of one (1) entry per home.

Contest entries will be shared on the NWT Fire Facebook page. By entering the photo contest, you give the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) permission to use the photos you submit in any future wildfire prevention promotion or on the GNWT website.

When is the deadline?

Contest closes September 5, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. Winners will be announced on September 9, 2022.

What are the contest prizes?

Three winners will be selected from entrants with homes or cabins in the NWT.

Any prize awarded in the contest is subject to the following conditions:

• The prize cannot be substituted, in whole or in part, with a prize or prize component of equal or greater value if the prize.
• The prize must be accepted as awarded and may not be transferred, unless otherwise determined by the ENR. The prize may not be exactly as advertised. The prize is provided “as is” without representation or warranty of any kind by ENR.
• Any unused portion of the prize, once awarded, will be deemed forfeited. The prize will not be replaced if lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen.

How will the winners be selected?

Anyone who submits an entry will be entered into the draw, as long as the entry meets eligibility criteria.

What are the photo requirements?

• All pictures must be of the highest quality possible (preferably 2 MB).
• Photos under 1 MB will automatically be rejected.
• Formats accepted are JPEG. TIFF. PNG (JPEG preferred).
• Photos must be taken before and after FireSmart activities. Photos taken during FireSmart activities may also be accepted as part of an entry.

Can my entry be refused or rejected?

Your entry could be refused or rejected if:

• you attempt to enter the contest in a fashion not authorized by these official rules
• your entry contains false or misleading information, or is late, falsified, illegible, damaged or incomplete or otherwise irregular
• your photo was altered by software to change the colours, size or other aspect of the image.
• your photo does not meet the photo requirements outlined above
• your entry is submitted using robotic, automated, programmed or other illicit means
• your entry is not in compliance with these official rules

In addition, ENR reserves the right to refuse any entry for any other reason determined appropriate.

What are the conditions of entry?

By entering the contest:

• you agree to be bound by these official rules and by the decisions of ENR, which are final, binding and conclusive
• you represent and warrant that (i) your entry, including any material comprising your entry and any material submitted with your entry is original to you, (ii) you have all necessary rights  to enter the contest, including the consent of any third parties whose personal information is included in your entry, and (iii) your entry does not contain, depict, include or involve content that is, or could reasonably be considered to be, inappropriate, unsuitable or offensive, as determined by ENR
• you understand and agree that your entry will not be returned to you and may be moderated or edited by ENR as it deems appropriate
• you grant ENR the right to use your entry in any media worldwide and for any purpose, including the right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, translate or create derivative works from your entry without notification or compensation
• you agree that ENR shall have the right at any time to require proof of identity or eligibility to enter the contest and failure to provide any such proof upon request may result in disqualification
• you release and forever discharge ENR and all of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensees, successors and assigns, as well as any Third Party Services, (collectively, the “Releasees”), and agree to indemnify and hold harmless each of the Releasees, from and against any and all claims, damages or liability, including any costs or losses related to personal injury, death, damage to or loss or destruction of property, arising out of, or in any way related to, (i) your participation in the contest, (ii) the awarding, receipt, possession, use or misuse of any prize, in whole or in part, or any travel or activity related to any prize, (iii) the use of any entry material in accordance with the rights granted in these official rules, or (iv) any breach of these official rules.

How will my personal information be used?

The GNWT is committed to respecting your privacy and protecting your personal information. All personal information is collected under the authority of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act Section 43(b) and is used only for photo credit and caption on submissions and to contact contest winners in the 2022 FireSmart™ Starts in Your Backyard Contest. Any questions relating to the collection and use of personal information on this form may be directed to the Communications Manager at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources at ENR_Communications@gov.nt.ca.