FIRESMART

WHAT IS FIRESMART?

FireSmart is a planning tool designed to reduce the likelihood of large uncontrollable wildfires in forests near communities and infrastructure. It is built on partnerships between government, industry and homeowners.

Anarchist Mountain is considered a high-risk zone for wildfires because of the dryness, the vegetation, the terrain, winds and the susceptibility to dry lightning strikes. In essence, we live in a fire-based ecological zone which guarantees that wildfires are part of normal life here.

A number of levels of support are available to you as a private homeowner.

ANARCHIST MOUNTAIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND FIRESMART

Our Anarchist Mountain Fire Department is a well-trained set of volunteers dedicated to respond to emergencies on the Mountain including wildfires, vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, and structure house fires.

You can access information on the Fire Department as follows: amfd.org

EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION AND FIRESMART

Our community has instigated additional protocols to help us in time of emergencies. With experienced volunteers who have served in related situations, we have developed what we call the “ENCom” or Emergency Notifications and Communications System.

ENCom’s mission is to help warn residents of Anarchist Mountain to prepare for severe emergency situations such as those requiring evacuation. Area Leads look out for new community members, but if you have not been approached, please contact Wendy Barlow at wbarlow22@yahoo.ca to be included.

For further information, check amfd.org/info/encom/

IF YOU SPOT A FIRE:

BC WILDFIRES

To report a wildfire in our area, call 911.

To report a wildfire elsewhere in BC, call

1-800-663-5555 Toll Free or

*5555 from your cell phone

BC WILDFIRE SERVICES

If we experience a large wildfire on the mountain, the BC Wildfire Services will support the AMFD in addressing the situation with trained fire crews.

Information regarding their services is available at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status

Important information regarding the current status of wildfires is available at:

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status/wildfire-situation

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Residents can refer to both Federal and Provincial -based sources on emergency planning. Both levels of government encourage having a go/72 hour bag in case you need to evacuate. This is intended to help you through 3 days following an emergency without outside support. This is a very important plan for any emergencies you might experience, beyond that of wildfires.

The following websites provide up-to-date information on how to prepare your own emergency plan: you can print these out for your own use:

Canada: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/yprprdnssgd/index-en.aspx

BC: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/preparedbc/make-your-plan

As a good place to begin, look in the Valuable Resources and Links section below to view the Ready-Set-Go document.

ANARCHIST MOUNTAIN FIRESMART COMMITTEE

The Anarchist Mountain FireSmart Committee was created in 2013”to help our neighbours in protecting the community from wildfire”. We are proud of the fact that of the original six communities recognized, we are the only one that has successfully recertified each year since.

People living in forested areas need to be aware of the wildfire threat and ways they can take action to make their home and community become “FireSmart”.

HOW CAN THE ANARCHIST MOUNTAIN FIRESMART COMMITTEE HELP YOU?

Home Assessments: We would be happy to provide a free home and property assessment to help you evaluate your personal wildfire risk. We take about an hour with you, walking around your house and property, to help you view your home in the light of risks from wildfires or embers. To request a home assessment, please e-mail anarchistmountfiresmart@gmail.com.

Equipment Rentals: Some specialized equipment is available for rental to help you FireSmart your own property. A wheeled heavy-duty trimmer, a power lopper, and a manual pole trimmer are available at a small fee to help you with those special projects. For further information, see Equipment Rentals in the FireSmart Resources Section below.

The Wapiti Pit: We are fortunate in having a special drop-off location for wildfire fuel at the Wapiti Pit on Wapiti Road, thanks to the gracious permission from Osoyoos Mountain Estates. Drop-offs are generally scheduled between late April and early September, weather permitting. Information is provided on an ongoing basis through the Anarchist Mountain Community Society website.

Ongoing Programs: Each year we feature of a Community Wildfire Preparedness Day of Education as well as offering ongoing special events to be notified through the Anarchist Mountain Community Society website.

ANARCHIST MOUNTAIN FIRESMART COMMITTEE INFORMATION

Membership

Alex Giovannelli – Chairperson alex.giovannelli@live.com

Gerry Moran – At Large gerry_moran@telus.net

Walter Zinowki – At Large zinowki@gmail.com

Chris Kayes – At Large chriskayes@telus.net

Valuable Links

Go to FireSmart Canada to get more information:

https://www.firesmartcanada.ca/what-is-firesmart

Online FireSmart Training Course – FireSmart 101

BC Air Quality: Check the Venting Index before you burn

To check current ventilation conditions:

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/epdpa/venting/venting.html

Wildfire Hazard Assessment – Request

The hazard assessment form provides a point rating score for the condition of your home, surrounding structures, adjacent vegetation and other factors affecting the FireSmart status of your property. This will provide the homeowner with an action plan both short and long term to create a sustainable balance in a wildland urban interface setting.

To book an assessment you can contact Walter Zinowki, zinowki@gmail.com.