Funding has been approved for a FireSmart and Fuel Treatment Project in Williams Lake.
On April 8, the City learned its application to the 2019 Community Resiliency Investment Firesmart Community Funding was approved.
Director of development services Leah Hartley said it will require services of forestry professionals working in collaboration with the BC Wildfire Service, property owners and City staff.
In a report city council Hartley recommended that registered professional forester Ken Day be hired to manage the project, which city council approved unanimously at the regular council meeting on Tuesday, April 8.
“We typically don’t go and directly award a contract of this magnitude, but the fire season is already underway in the region, Ken Day is a highly respected and has extensive knowledge with our fire region and we want to get on with this work,” Coun. Scott Nelson said.
Mayor Walt Cobb asked if the public will be informed of the locations where the work will take place and CEO Milo MacDonald responded that public communication will be a component in the contract.
“All the fuel treatment areas that have been selected are within City limits,” MacDonald said.
Day prepared the application on behalf of the City in 2018.
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Hartley noted the approved funding application enables the city to undertake up to $115,000 value of work in 2019 and 2020 with support of $100,000 funding from CRI.
The project will be part of the City’s emergency planning and operations program and is part of the 2019 budget.
The CRI program is a new provincial program intended to reduce the risk and impact of wildfire to communities in B.C. through community funding, supports and priority fuel management activities on provincial Crown land.
The Union of BC Municipalities, First Nations’ Emergency Services Society and the Forest Enhancement Society of BC are working with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, represented by the BC Wildfire Service, to administer the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports portion of the program for local government and First Nation applicants.
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