Kelowna's Clifton neighbourhood was spared by preparation for fire, not good luck
It could have been much worse in Kelowna's Clifton neighbourhood last week, when fires from West Kelowna blew in because residents were already prepared.
They removed tonnes of debris from the bush, reducing fuel for the fire.
Volunteers with FireSmart training by local Fire Departments have spent more than 710 hours to remove 50 tonnes of fire fuel spanning an area of 35.5 acres.
Tara Godwin, one of the organizers, said that their work had a direct impact on firefighter’s ability to protect homes from the Clifton wildfire that hit the community last week.
“The people who were on scene said it was the FireSmart work that helped to save our properties,” she said.
She was president of the the Clifton Highlands Community Association that spearheaded the effort ahead of what they feared was coming.
It wasn't easy. Godwin’s past efforts were heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of volunteers.
“There just weren’t enough people,” Godwin said. “It was 26 people covering an entire neighbourhood and it's really hard work. There just needs to be more people doing it."
She explained that the city can't hope to do all of the work, "so it’s really up to residents and people who live in the forested areas to take some of the responsibility upon themselves,” she said.
Current president, Tracy Rullkotter, told INFOnews.ca that new fire fuel clean ups will continue in the spring.
Next year, the association will be enlisting the help of high school students who are training to become fire safe or work in the forestry industry.
“The benefit of that is that we will be able to invest in the next generation who will have to deal with the ramifications of more wildfires,” Rullkotter said.
Rullkotter also explained that debris disposal isn’t the only focus of the organisation now.
“One of the big things we have wanted to continually focus on and tackle within the city is the neighbourhoods and making the streets safe for people to walk,” she said.
Rullkotter lives in the Clifton area, where her community is linked by a single road without sidewalks.
“During the actual event last week, we had hundreds of spectators on our road that were blocking the ways in and out,” she said, “and then the worst happened… the fire jumped. We had a line-up of cars for people who were trying to evacuate, like myself, and then on top of that we saw that the emergency crews were slowed down.”
Rullkotter explained that the FireSmart initiative is one of the core values of the organisation and one that she hopes to spread to the wider community.
“If we ride a bike, we wear a helmet,” she said. “Anything that we can do that is preventative is valuable for everybody. I think it’s in the best interest of any community to think about how they can support each other.”
FireSmart initiatives are being recognized as a key strategy for protecting the Okanagan from future fires. On Aug. 23, 2023 the City of Vernon announced it will be providing designated disposal bins throughout the city for people to get rid of fire fuel from around their homes.
“We’re really emphasizing to residents the importance of taking action now to FireSmart their properties,” said Wes Brassard, FireSmart Coordinator in an email announcement Aug. 23. “Together we can help reduce the risk of wildland fire and help make our community more fire resilient.”
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