Edmonton- The FRIAA FireSmart Review Committee met yesterday in a regularly scheduled meeting to review and approve proposals for project funding under the FRIAA FireSmart Program. Funding was awarded to all 34 completed project proposals, for a total amount of $4.1 million. (See full list below)
Proposals for FireSmart project funding were received by FRIAA in response to a Call for Expression of Interest that FRIAA published in January of this year. Three quarters of the funded projects were for vegetation management, which is the practice of modification of vegetation in or around communities, which could be fuel for a fire. Since February 2014, FRIAA has awarded $15.2 million to organizations seeking resources to undertake FireSmart projects.
Quote from General Manager Todd Nash:
“We encourage all Alberta communities to look into FireSmart grants as one measure of mitigating their risk of wildfire damage. We will be working closely with communities around the province to raise awareness about project funding opportunities available through the FRIAA FireSmart program. Funding is available for Alberta communities for a range of FireSmart activities, and we want to help communities access those resources.”
ABOUT FRIAA
The Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta (FRIAA) was established in 1997. The Alberta Minister of Agriculture and Forestry has delegated duties to FRIAA to promote and initiate projects that enhance Alberta’s forest resources. FRIAA administers a number of programs related to forest management in Alberta, one of which is the FRIAA FireSmart program.
ABOUT FRIAA FIRESMART PROGRAM
FireSmart is a set of principles and guidelines designed to help reduce the impacts of wildfires on communities. FireSmart projects can reduce risk and mitigate damage caused by wildfires. It is available in most jurisdictions in Canada. Organizations eligible to apply for FRIAA FireSmart project funding include Municipalities; First Nations Communities; Metis Settlements; certain registered Non-Profit Societies active in FireSmart and Wildfire Prevention Activities; and other organizations or groups mutually agreeable to the Government of Alberta and FRIAA. Most applications have come from municipalities and Aboriginal communities throughout the forested area of Alberta.
FireSmart – Approved Projects – January 2016 Call for Proposals,
Approved May 2016
1. Zama City Vegetation Management (Zama City-MacKenzie County)
Term of Project – July 2016 – March 2018
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by completing 18.3 ha of vegetation
management within the hamlet of Zama City.
2. Zama City Wildfire Mitigation Strategy (Zama City-MacKenzie County)
Term of Project – April 2016 – April 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Planning
The objective of this project is to prepare an updated Wildfire Mitigation Strategy for the
hamlet of Zama City.
3. Peavine Metis Settlement – Unit 4 – Vegetation Management (Peavine Metis
Settlement)
Term of Project – July 2016 – April 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by completing 34 ha of vegetation
management within Peavine Metis Settlement.
4. Rocky View County Northwest Wildfire Preparedness Guide (Rocky View County)
Term of Project – June 2016 – December 2016
FireSmart Discipline – Planning
The objective of this project is to prepare a Wildfire Preparedness Guide for the
Northwest planning area of Rocky View County.
5. Greater Bragg Creek Area Interface Wildfire Exercise (Rocky View County)
Term of Project – June 2016 – December 2016
FireSmart Discipline – Inter-Agency Cooperation and Cross-training
The objective of this project is to complete a wildfire field exercise that includes
activation of a joint coordination center, mobile command post, reception center for
mock evacuees, training of Rocky View County Fire Services and mutual aid partners
(Redwood Meadows and Town of Cochrane) and education of residents with respect to
information in the 2016 Wildfire Preparedness Guide.
6. Dunes 2016 Thinning and Fuel Modification (County of Grande Prairie No 1)
Term of Project – July 2016 – January 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by completing 35 ha of vegetation
management in the dunes area adjacent to existing FireSmart treatment units around
Grande Prairie.
7. Gift Lake Metis Settlement Vegetation Management (Gift Lake Metis Settlement)
Term of Project – July 2016 – April 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by completing 21.5 ha of vegetation
management within Gift Lake Metis Settlement.
8. Gift Lake Metis Settlement – Fire Guards (Gift Lake Metis Settlement)
Term of Project – July 2016 – April 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by constructing 16.3 ha of fire
guards within Gift Lake Metis Settlement.
9. Janvier FireSmart Hazard Assessments (Chipewyan Prairie First Nation)
Term of Project – May 2016 – December 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Public Education
The objective of this project is to train First Nations members on how to complete
wildfire hazard assessments; complete hazard assessments around 145 dwellings
within Chipewyan Prairie First Nation and communicate the results to the residents.
10. Janvier Fuel Reduction (Chipewyan Prairie First Nation)
Term of Project – June 2016 – December 2016
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by completing 20 ha of vegetation
management within the Janvier Townsite within Chipewyan Prairie First Nation.
11. Whitefish Lake Residential Fuel Management (Whitefish Lake First Nation)
Term of Project – June 2016 – November 2016
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to complete vegetation management treatments in
FireSmart Zones 1 and 2 for a minimum of 128 structures, or approximately 30 ha of
area treated, within Whitefish Lake First Nation.
12. Ghost Lake Wildfire Preparedness Guide (Summer Village of Ghost Lake)
Term of Project – June 2016 – December 2016
FireSmart Discipline – Planning
The objective of this project is to prepare a Wildfire Preparedness Guide for the
Summer Village of Ghost Lake.
13. ASVA Fire Bylaw Review (Association of Summer Villages of Alberta)
Term of Project – July 2016 – December 2016
FireSmart Discipline – Legislation and Planning
The objective of this project is to review fire bylaws and related legislation, creation and
review of a fire bylaws template suitable for Summer Villages and stakeholder
communications with respect to input to and adoption of a fire bylaw suitable for their
respective Summer Villages.
14. ASVA Education and Chipping Events (Association of Summer Villages of Alberta)
Term of Project – July 2016 – January 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Public Education
The objective of this project is to conduct five educational sessions and five wildfire fuel
chipping events to educate residents of Summer Villages about FireSmart and to
encourage actions to be taken on private property.
15. Tallcree FireSmart Community Plan (Tallcree First Nation)
Term of Project – May 2016 – September 2016
FireSmart Discipline – Planning
The objective of this project is to update the current Community FireSmart Plan, which
includes a Wildfire Mitigation Strategy, Wildfire Preparedness Plan and a Sprinkler
Deployment Plan for Tallcree First Nation.
16. DTFN Chteh, Meander River and Busche FireSmart Plans (Dene Tha’ First Nation)
Term of Project – July 2016 – April 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Planning
The objective of this project is to prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Strategy for the entire
Dene Tha’ First Nation, as well as, three individual Wildfire Preparedness Guides for
each of the three communities within the First Nation.
17. Pincher Creek Emergency Services Commission Regional FireSmart Program
(Pincher Creek Emergency Services)
Term of Project – September 2016 – September 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Public Education
The objective of this project is to deliver five open house events intended to promote
FireSmart principles and communicate results and strategies identified in the Pincher
Creek Wildfire Mitigation Strategy being developed under a current FRIAA FireSmart
project.
18. Town of Whitecourt Wildfire Mitigation Strategy (Town of Whitecourt)
Term of Project – July 2016 – December 2016
FireSmart Discipline – Planning
The objective of this project is to develop an updated version of a Wildfire Mitigation
Strategy for the Town of Whitecourt.
19. Crowsnest Pass FireSmart Community Protection Program (Municipality of
Crowsnest Pass)
Term of Project – May 2016 – December 2016
FireSmart Discipline – Public Education
The objective of this project is to conduct five open house events intended to promote
FireSmart principles within multiple locations within the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass.
20. Crowsnest Pass Wildfire Mitigation Strategy (Municipality of Crowsnest Pass)
Term of Project – May 2016 – December 2016
FireSmart Discipline – Planning
The objective of this project is to develop an updated version of a Wildfire Mitigation
Strategy for the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass.
21. Crowsnest Pass FireSmart Vegetation Management (Municipality of Crowsnest
Pass)
Term of Project – May 2016 – March 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by conducting 33 ha of vegetation
management within the Municipality of Crownest Pass.
22. Vegetation Management – Sandy Lake (MD of Opportunity)
Term of Project – July 2016 to April 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by conducting 16.6 ha of vegetation
management within the community of Sandy Lake.
23. Vegetation Management – Red Earth Creek (MD of Opportunity)
Term of Project – July 2016 to April 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by conducting 37.2 ha of vegetation
management within the community of Red Earth Creek.
24. Vegetation Management – Wabasca (MD of Opportunity)
Term of Project – July 2016 to April 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by conducting 40 ha of vegetation
management within the community of Wabasca.
25. Hinton West Fuel Modification (Town of Hinton)
Term of Project – May 2016 – May 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by conducting 28.5 ha of vegetation
management within the Town of Hinton.
26. Hinton East Fuel Modification (Town of Hinton)
Term of Project – May 2016 – May 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by conducting 19.4 ha of vegetation
management within the Town of Hinton.
27. Wildfire Preparedness Guide Development (Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation)
Term of Project – June 2016 – July 2016
FireSmart Discipline – Planning
The objective of this project is to develop a Wildfire Preparedness Guide for the
Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation.
28. Fox Lake Vegetation/Fuel Management – Spruce Stand (Little Red River Cree
Nation)
Term of Project – November 2016 – March 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by conducting 6.5 ha of vegetation
management within the Fox Lake community of Little Red River Cree Nation.
29. Beaver First Nation Wildfire Mitigation Strategy (Beaver First Nation)
Term of Project – June 2016 – October 2016
FireSmart Discipline – Planning
The objective of this project is to develop a Wildfire Mitigation Strategy for the Boyer
(IR164) and Child’s Lake (IR164A) of Beaver First Nation.
30. Driftpile Fuel Modification (Driftpile First Nation)
Term of Project – June 2016 – December 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by conducting 13.0 ha of vegetation
management within the Driftpile First Nation.
31. Town of Banff FireSmart Program (Town of Banff)
Term of Project – April 2016 – April 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Vegetation/Fuel Modification
The objective of this project is to reduce wildfire risk by conducting 45 ha of vegetation
management within the Town of Banff.
32. City of Lethbridge Grassland Wildfire Protection Plan (City of Lethbridge)
Term of Project – July 2016 – September 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Planning
The objective of this project is to develop a Wildfire Mitigation Strategy for the City of
Lethbridge.
33. Saddle Lake Community FireSmart Plan (Saddle Lake Cree Nation)
Term of Project – August 2016 – January 2017
FireSmart Discipline – Planning
The objective of this project is to develop a Wildfire Preparedness Guide and Wildfire
Mitigation Strategy for the Saddle Lake Cree Nation.
34. MD of Bighorn – Education and Consultation for Back 40 Recreation Lease (MD of
Bighorn)
Term of Project – April 2016 – December 2016
FireSmart Discipline – Public Education
The objective of this project is to support various public education and stakeholder
consultative initiatives designed to obtain community support for implementing the
recommended treatments in the operational plan for fuel modification in the Back 40
recreation lease within the MD of Bighorn.