FILE PHOTO - A wildfire in Kaleden on July 4, 2017 is seen in this file photo.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Lu L

PENTICTON - It only had to happen once for a South Okanagan community to take steps on its own to make sure wildfire doesn't strike again.

Residents of Kaleden, around six kilometres south of Penticton, were shocked out of their complacency when a wildfire scorched several hectares, taking out a residence and numerous outbuildings on July 4, 2017.

It was the first time a wildfire of any magnitude had happened in the community, and it raised awareness about the numerous hazards that could provide wildfire fuel in the semi-rural community, including unattended private properties and wooded ravines where residents had tossed yard clippings for generations.

A committee made up of five people, headed by the local community association, met for the first time after the fire last summer and organized a community forum that was held in November 2017.

"We had a bad scare in the community and people were thankful, but wanted more, so we held a community forum that was really well attended,” committee member and local fire chief Denis Gaudry says.

Kaleden Community Association chair Neal Dockendorf came forward following the meeting to provide vision and leadership for the group.

Working under the auspices of the community association, the committee has partnered with other organizations to put together a training and educational event in the community, scheduled to take place on May 5, which is National Fire Smart Day.

“We’re organizing a clean-up of a piece of community-owned property as a demonstration piece for the community to view as an example of a properly maintained piece of land,” committee member Linda Dahl says.

Committee member Mike Gane, who also chairs the local irrigation district, offered the group use of a piece of district owned land well suited for a wildfire mitigation demonstration.

At the same time, residents are being encouraged to clean up potential fuel hazards on their own property and a chipper will be available for public use after May 5.

The group has applied for two Fire Smart funding grants, one through the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen, which if approved, will provide financing for a fire assessment and treatment plan. There is no funding in place for the May 5 event, but the group intends to proceed regardless.

“Our biggest thing is not having any funding for things like bins, chippers, gas, that sort of thing. We’ve applied for funding, a Fire Smart Canada grant and a small communities grant, but without any money in our pocket right now, it’s a question of whether we can get any support from the powers that be to fund us in the interim,” Dahl says.

She’s hopeful that grants applied for will be approved in time to help the committee with the May 5 event.

Gaudry admits they are jumping the gun by not waiting for funding to be approved.

“We consciously as a group agreed we weren’t going to wait for the funding or even wait for an assessment to be done," he says. "We think there is enough common sense here that we can do a demonstration."

Gaudry says they don't want to lose the momentum from the fire and the community forum.

“I think everyone felt threatened by last year’s fire and recognized there is more we can do," committee member Hugh Winter says. "The great part about living here is how easy it’s been to partner with the fire department in a community effort. I'm very excited to be a part of this."

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