07/09/2026
In the last couple weeks, I've attended 2 events related to Wildfire Risk Mitigation.
The first was the local Wildfire Roundtable, a regular event hosted by the Clearwater Fire Department and specifically the FireSmart Program led by Chance Breckenridge. This is an important information and idea sharing session that keeps all responders and key industry and government stakeholders up to speed on what everyone is doing. I and Usoff Tsao are usually the only local elected leaders at the table. It's a great forum to learn what needs to be pushed for both locally and provincially.
The second event was the one hosted by the Wells Gray Community Forest Corporation this past Monday and Tuesday.
This was a remarkable event. So many smart people from around the region, across the province and beyond coming Clearwater to discuss the real risk to us all, as well as the possible solutions. I learned so much about hydrology, local ecosystems, fire fuel load, forest health, wildfire mitigation science. I joked at the end that my brain was leaking fungi and sawdust.
I'd like to thank Casey and the Wells Gray Community Forest for creating and hosting such a great event.
Wildfire risk management is a critical issue not just for the safety of the District of Clearwater and Electoral Area A, but also for the safety of our vital tourism economy that relies so heavily on Wells Gray Park and the natural beauty that surrounds us all.
I was given my advocacy "marching orders" in a sense by what I learned at this summit.
That advocacy actually starts today with a introductory conversation with an ADM to discuss concerns related to tourism attractions.
Engaging with the insurance industry will be a next step in this work. I met a key contact for that in Edmonton at the Climate Summit I attended, but more importantly, I exchanged contacts with people at this local event that are tied into the resources of the industry that are dialed into our situation locally.
As for local action, I'm really encouraged by the fire risk reduction work being done by the Wells Gray Community Forest team. I think that this is something that we need to jump on as local land owners as well. I spoke to one of my neighbours who wants to try and get selective tree removal and fuel management done on our block, working potentially through connected back yards. This needs to happen- we need to reduce the fire fuel load and the conifer tree canopy on private land. Speaking to professionals at the conference, this is something that can be done, and in some cases might even turn a profit for landowners via log sales. This is not clearcutting, this is a much more sensitive form of landscape management. There are now multiple local forestry companies that can do this work... Volktrans and SKM Resources come to mind, but I noted someone posted another local company on the Info Board just yesterday.
In at risk communities where this type of work hasn't been done, home insurance rates have skyrocketed... double and triple your current premiums. In some cases, home insurance was no longer offered.
If you have a larger property, or you and your neighbours want to understand what a localized neighbourhood fuel mitigation project would look like, I encourage you to contact Chance and team for a Firesmart assessment. I'll let Casey and the WGCF team pipe in on their capacity to advise or potentially facilitate on larger private land projects.
I encourage local forestry companies who can and want to do this work to comment below so the community knows who you are.
Some experts I've talked to estimate that 50-70% of the conifers(needles) in and around town should be removed. The deciduous trees(leafy)can stay as they are almost always part of the firesmart protection plan.
If you want to see short term examples of this work, there is a demo patch between the fire hall and the Catholic Church.
If you want to see work on a larger scale that was done about 15 years ago, take a walk through North Thompson Provincial Park.
I look forward to the conversation in the comments.
