THE SVWRP - WHAT IS IT?
The Slocan Valley Wildfire Resiliency Program (SVWRP) is a wildfire planning initiative initiated in 2019 for the Villages of Slocan, Silverton, and New Denver delivered by SIFCo.
The program focuses on developing a comprehensive long-term strategy to create wildfire resilient communities in the Slocan Valley.
The core of the program is guided by the FireSmart disciplines and plays an active role in supporting the long-term planning strategy and delivery.
Following the FireSmart disciplines to mitigate wildfire, planning strategies and services are delivered for the following areas; education and outreach, emergency planning, vegetation management, cross-training, and interagency cooperation.
Educating and working with community members is key to ensuring wildfire adapted and prepared communities.
WILDFIRE HISTORY - HOW DID WE GET HERE?
STRUCTURE LOSS - WHY DO HOMES BURN?
There are three ways that a wildfire can result in structure loss . . . .
EMBERS that are created by wildfire can travel up to 2km ahead of a wildfire. These sparks and embers can ignite materials on or near your home, causing damage or structure loss . . . .
RADIANT HEAT created by flames within 30m of your home can melt vinyl siding and break windows resulting in structure ignition . . . .
DIRECT FLAME occurs when wildfires spread and ignite flammable objects close to a structure allowing the flames to transfer and ignite the structure.
TAKE ACTION - WHAT CAN YOU DO?
STEP 1
DOWNLOAD THE FIRESMART MANUAL
FireSmart BC Landscaping Guide
FireSmart BC Homeowner's Manual
FireSmart Begins At Home Manual
FireSmart Home Development Guide
Wildfire Preparedness Guide
FireSmart Last minute checklist
SIFCo Wildfire Evacuation Checklist
FireSmart Home Ignition Zones Poster
Self Home Assessment
Checklist
DECKS & PORCHES FACT SHEET
VIDEO RESOURCES
FIRESMART DEMO PROJECTS
A component of the Slocan Valley Wildfire Resiliency Program was assessing and mitigating critical community infrastructure for wildfire vulnerabilities. A total of three buildings were assessed and fully mitigated for wildfire risk;
The New Denver Community Gym, the Slocan Village Office, and the Silverton Fire Hall.
The purpose of these projects was to protect this infrastructure from wildfire and to serve as an educational tool for community members to reduce wildfire risks.
The wildfire mitigations followed the FireSmart building and Home Ignition zone guidelines to reduce wildfire risks to structures. At the Silverton Fire Hall demonstration project, we also installed a Wildfire Resiliency Garden to demonstrate landscape design and plant selection to reduce wildfire risk surrounding structures.
Educational signage was installed at each demonstration project and garden to educate the public on the actions taken to reduce wildfire risk. Below are some videos of the work that was carried out on these demonstration projects
THE SLOCAN VILLAGE OFFICE
THE NEW DENVER COMMUNITY GYM
THE SILVERTON FIREHALL
In Silverton we selected the Fire hall. After the building was assessed by our FireSmart representative we carried out all of the necessary upgrades to significantly reduce the risk of structure loss in the event of a wildfire. This included:
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Replacing the damaged vinyl facias and soffits with new metal ones.
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Replacing the old damaged vinyl siding with new metal siding.
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All vents were screened of with 3mm non combustible metal mesh.
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We replaced the old wooden stairs that were attached to the building with new ones that now have metal railings. We also cleared the debris from underneath the steps, poured two new cement pads and installed gravel which is non combustible.
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We created a 1.5 meter non combustible perimeter around the entire building using, gravel, sand or cement. All flammable materials were removed from this zone.
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A new cement pad was poured in front of the main entrance to the fire hall.
THE SILVERTON WILDFIRE RESILIENCY GARDEN PROJECT
The Silverton Fire Hall Wildfire Resiliency Garden, was installed by SIFCo and serves as an interactive, educational space for the community to learn how to reduce their wildfire risk.
The Silverton Fire Hall Wildfire Resiliency Garden was installed adjacent to the fire hall and has been designed using FireSmart best practices to create a wildfire resilient landscape. FireSmart provides guidelines to reduce wildfire risks to structures and surrounding areas extending 100m out from the structure. FireSmart guidelines breaks down the 100m out from the structure into four zones. The Non-combustible Zone (0-1.5m), Zone 1 (1.5-10m), Zone 2 (10-30m), and Zone 3 (30-100m).
The Non-combustible Zone (1.5m from the fire hall) had all the combustible materials removed and replaced with either gravel, sand, or cement. The Silverton Fire Hall Wildfire Resiliency Garden is located within Zone 1 and Zone 2 from the Fire Hall structure.
In Zone 1 the garden design utilizes low density fire-resistant plants and shrubs and non-combustible rock mulches.
In Zone 2 the garden bed density increases and uses composted wood mulch and a greater variety pf plant suitable to use in this zone.
All the plants selected for the garden possess fire-resistant plant attributes as listed in the FireSmart BC Landscaping Guide.
