Hope – The District of Hope announced that it has been awarded a grant of $199,878.80 by the Community Resiliency Investment program that is funded by the Province of BC Ministry of Forests.
As part of the requirement for present and future funding the District of Hope has hired a FireSmart Coordinator and will undertake the development of a Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP). The grant will cover costs associated with the coordinator position and the development of the CWRP among other community initiatives,such as public education.
FireSmart Hope has joined the regional Wildfire Resiliency Committee alongside our neighbouring communities and First Nations to collaborate with British Columbia Wildfire Service (BCWS) on wildfire prevention strategies in our area.
FireSmart Hope will have an early focus on community engagement. Expect to meet them at upcoming community events and watch for the new Facebook page which will highlight the programs Hope residents will be to able to access as a result of the grant funding.
One immediate benefit resident’s have is access to Local FireSmart Representatives (LFR) and Wildfire Mitigation Specialists (WMS) all from the Hope Fire Department who can now provide free home assessments and reports that will allow them to make small but meaningful changes at home and greatly enhance their ability to avoid damage in a wildfire event.
For more information about the FireSmart programs in Hope, or to book a property assessment, contact the team at firesmart@hope.ca
