FireSmart Canada Neighbourhood Recognition Program
Citizen involvement is the cornerstone of the FireSmart Canada Neighbourhood Recognition Program.
If you live in a region susceptible to wildfires, you and your neighbours will learn how to decrease the risk of losing your homes, and how to best protect yourselves in the event of a wildfire.
FireSmart homes and neighbourhoods allow firefighters to concentrate on fighting the wildfire, which ultimately saves more homes and lives.
Neighbourhoods in which residents take steps to reduce their vulnerability have a greater chance of surviving a wildfire without the intervention of the fire department.
What are the recognition criteria?
Neighbourhoods, subdivisions, and small towns in areas of Canada prone to wildfire can earn FireSmart Neighbourhood recognition status by meeting the following criteria:
Enlisting a wildland/urban interface specialist to complete an assessment and create a plan that identifies locally agreed-upon solutions that the neighbourhood can implement.
Sponsoring a local FireSmart committee, which maintains the FireSmart Neighbourhood Plan and tracks its progress or status.
Conducting FireSmart events each year that are dedicated to a local FireSmart project.
The Neighbourhood Recognition Program is based on principles originally developed by the National Fire Protection Association®. FireSmart Canada continues to work with NFPA on collaborative engagement and research.
