Residents who witnessed the introduction of the FireSmart program in the West Central Alberta area in 2002 say the program has improved over the years.
“The process is different than what it was,” said Burnstick Lake resident Diane Lindblom.
“They are trying to engage the community and then do whatever fits for the community.”
She said 10 years ago community engagement wasn't the priority.
Barry Shellian, Environment and Sustainable Resource Development wildfire ranger said, “It's important for us to have community engagement.” FireSmart has been operating for years but was introduced to the area in 2002 to reduce the volume of fires and to help prevent them in the first place.
“FireSmart was launched to protect communities and to provide safety and more effective means for firefighters to do their jobs,” he said.
“FireSmart is a proactive approach that is multi-agency, whether it's ESRD, counties or municipal districts, or homeowners. Everyone has a role in FireSmart.”
As part of the program, wildfire rangers are removing dead trees and debris from forests, as well as thinning and pruning trees to prevent fires from spreading as much as possible.
One of the main goals is to prevent small fires from spreading and becoming large fires that become more difficult to control, he said.
“FireSmart's not fireproof, but it creates safer communities and healthier forests,” he said.
From removing the debris off the forest floors and thinning crowns of trees, more sunlight is allowed into the forest, allowing for better growth.
This brings more wildlife into the area because there is more vegetation, he said.
Lindblom said her concern has always been for the habitat of wildlife.
When the program was introduced, FireSmart was extremely “controversial”, she said.
People in the area didn't like how “open” the forest was.
“My concern was the habitat loss but the bottom line was that it was necessary,” she said.
She is “impressed” with the more “collaborative” approach the ESRD is now taking, she said.
A member of the Sundre Petroleum Operators Group (SPOG) environment committee, she says she is passionate about the environment and the well-being of wildlife.
This made it difficult for her to accept the program at the time, because she didn't want to “intrude” with the “living” forest.
“It's a privilege to live here,” she said. Having bought the house 28 years ago, she and her husband Doug have witnessed the change first-hand.
Doug said the program was a “very contentious issue” for a while and some people are still against the program.
However, the Lindbloms have learned to accept it.
The bird population in the area has increased as a result of the program because of the healthier change to the forest, he said.
