Victoria, BC, July 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The BC FireSmart Committee is declaring that all British Columbians need to prioritize wildfire preparedness, now. In response to the escalating wildfire situation, FireSmart BC has consolidated critical wildfire information and resources at Firesmartbc.ca and launched a wildfire preparedness campaign.
“The 2021 wildfire season has quickly become one of the driest and most active on record, which means the risk of wildfire is more real than ever,” says Jennifer Rice, B.C.'s Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness. “I urge you to get prepared now by going to firesmartbc.ca. This is not the time for complacency; this is the time to get informed and take action for yourself, your family, and your community.”
Click here to watch the public service announcement from Jennifer Rice, B.C.'s Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness: https://vimeo.com/580134371
The webpage has everything you need to prepare and plan for the threat of wildfire including fire danger ratings, information on how you can mitigate fire risks to your property, a comprehensive evacuation plan and checklist, and direct links to trusted information from the BC Wildfire Service, EmergencyInfoBC, PreparedBC and DriveBC.
“Fire moves fast,” says Kelsey Winter, FireSmart BC program lead and chair of the BC FireSmart Committee. “You won’t have time to get prepared once fire is at your doorstep. FireSmart your property now, make an evacuation plan and follow evacuation alerts and orders.”
FireSmart BC’s latest podcast episode, "The Importance of Being Educated and Prepared For Wildfire" also features Secretary Rice and highlights the importance of emergency preparedness.
The BC FireSmart Committee membership includes the BC Wildfire Service, the Office of the Fire Commissioner, the Union of B.C. Municipalities, the Fire Chiefs’ Association of B.C., Emergency Management BC, the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C., First Nations’ Emergency Services Society of B.C., Indigenous Services Canada, Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Regions and Rural Development - Regional Operations, Parks Canada, and B.C. Parks.
Resources:
FireSmart BC website: https://firesmartbc.ca/
FireSmart BC Twitter: https://twitter.com/BCFireSmart
FireSmart BC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firesmartbc
FireSmart BC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firesmartbc/