New Brunswick municipalities urged to develop wildfire resiliency plans

New Brunswick has new tools to combat the upcoming wildfire season.

New Brunswick municipalities are being called on to develop wildfire resiliency plans, focusing on the protection of critical infrastructure within high-risk areas.

The Department of Natural Resources says it will be contacting individual communities within the next few days, encouraging them to apply for the “FireSmart” program which recently launched in the province.

“If your fire department is burning down, it’s hard to help,” says Roger Collet, a wildfire prevention officer with the Department of Natural Resources. “We want water supply protected, and (we) also want to look at parts of the community that may be more at risk. Maybe there’s some work that can be done in subdivisions and those parts of the community.”

Collet says each community’s plan will be different and seek ways to mitigate identified risks on the ground. The department recently met with municipal officials in Fredericton and Saint Andrews to kick off wildfire resiliency planning in those areas.

Funding for “FireSmart” is part of the $40 million announced in February for wildfire threats in New Brunswick.

Within the program, homeowners are also being urged to develop wildfire mitigation plans for their own “home ignition zone” – the amount of flammable vegetation and objects around a property.

Emma Farnham, the provincial coordinator for “FireSmart,” says removing or reducing such material can make a significant difference during wildfire situations.

“It’s a 90 per cent chance that your home will survive, even if a wildfire comes through,” says Farnham.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.