It shouldn't take disasters like Slave Lake and Fort McMurray to spur us into action.
Following a couple of essentially unattended public engagement sessions in recent months regarding the development of a local FireSmart initiative, it took a natural calamity of massive proportions for some people to attend last Tuesday night's meeting at the Sundre Legion.
And even then there were only about a dozen people who came to hear about the initiative as well as ask questions or share concerns, which they certainly did. From dealing with neglected grass that's growing out of control on a private property adjacent to homes, to worries that the efforts to make Sundre safer from wildfire by removing some trees would impact the natural aesthetic, a range of issues were discussed over roughly two hours.
Largely leading the initiative, Sundre's fire Chief Marty Butts, who with four members of the department on rotation were last week in Fort McMurray, was understandably absent. The memories of Slave Lake still etched in his mind have in great part played a role in his effort to make his home community FireSmart.
At the meeting to inform residents and answer questions were Patty LaPointe, a member of the Sundre Fire Department; Nolan Duguid, an environmental technician with the consulting firm that provided information for the initiative; town councillor Cheri Funke; as well as Kristofer Heemeryck, a wildfire protection officer with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry based in the Rocky Mountain House office.
Among the points discussed were recommended materials for building houses that are more resilient against heat, methods to keep those homes as well as any surrounding trees clear of potential fuel sources, and ways to educate and especially to engage the public, including presentations with youth in school and reaching seniors with limited to no Internet access.
The underlying principle is that when we decide to build our communities in relatively remote areas surrounded by forests, the scenic vista and the fresh air come with an unsung responsibility.
It's never advertised in the brochures, but living in nature means being prepared for every eventuality it might throw at you.
The idea is to take steps to mitigate the potential for a wildfire — or at the very least reduce its ability to spread, well, like wildfire.
If that means paying higher costs for more fire retardant structures and an annual effort to maintain one's property and keep it clear of potential fuel, it might well be worth it in the long run.
Visit www.sundrefiresmart.com to learn more about taking measures to ensure your property is FireSmart.
