The N.W.T. will see another $10.3 million spent over the next five years to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires across the territory.
N.W.T. MP Michael McLeod announced the new funding at the Legislative Assembly on Friday.
The money will support work already underway. Of the funding announced Friday, the federal government is providing around $7.7 million, and the Government of the Northwest Territories is providing around $2.5 million, through a contribution agreement.
McLeod said wildfires are increasing in frequency and severity because of climate change and work is being done to implement the best solutions possible.
“If we do not prepare for worsening wildfires, we will fail ourselves and our children, both economically and environmentally,” said McLeod.
More support for FireSmart programs in communities
Most of the money will go toward FireSmart training and implementation. FireSmart Canada is a national program delivered by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre and designed to help communities, forest managers and others protect homes and the environment from wildfire impacts.
How exactly the new funding will be distributed through the territory is being worked on, according to Mike Gravel, director of forest management at the Department of Environment and Climate Change.
“It’s a little premature to say where the funding is going to be allocated to. We’re in the process of developing regional FireSmart committees,” said Gravel.
Gravel added that the goal will be for those FireSmart committees to prioritize where some of this investment should go.
“Where the actual dollars land would be decided at the community level, the regional level as we engage with them,” said Gravel.
McLeod said there is also talk about designing houses with fire protection and considering new ideas as well.
“For houses and communities that are at higher risk, do we start installing sprinklers so that we could just hook up to the sprinkler system on top of houses? All kinds of discussions,” McLeod said.
Environment and Climate Change Minister Jay Macdonald said the funding is intended to help support existing and new fuel-management projects to reduce carbon emissions and wildfire threats.
Wildfire fuel management involves modifying the forest structure to reduce the risk of fire.
Fort Smith, N.W.T., has a fuel modification project currently underway as part of its FireSmart plans. Adam McNab, Fort Smith’s director of protective services, said the town is also finalizing its updated community wildfire plan.
McNab said the goal, where possible, is to remove some coniferous trees, with flammable cones, needles or scales, in favour of more deciduous trees, which shed their leaves annually.
McNab said being able to access money to conduct the work is fantastic.
McNab said the town is looking both at in-town brushing and pruning, as well as larger, landscape-level fire breaks moving forward.
“We’re going to be looking at beginning to put out [requests for proposals] and tenders over the coming months to conduct some of those fuel management projects,” said McNab.
“Funding, though, is a challenge, especially when we’re looking at doing these big projects to initially remove vegetation, then the ongoing maintenance of those fire breaks.”
Training, legislation, and home insurance being looked at
Macdonald added that investments like this have already allowed the territory to make significant strides this year when it comes to managing wildfire risk.
“We have formed a dedicated prevention and mitigation unit with the capacity to advance assembled FireSmart disciplines year-round, across every region,” said Macdonald.
Public education, cross-training, vegetation management, emergency planning, legislation and development are all areas that could see a boost.
“We have cross-trained members of 18 community fire departments to deliver FireSmart programs locally, and will continue to offer more training each year,” said Macdonald.
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