Prepare for wildfire with FireSmart NWT

FireSmart for Indigenous + local governments, fire departments

FireSmart your community

The effort you put into your community now can make future wildfire resilience a reality. It’s time to lead your community into a FireSmart future. We can help.

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Applying the FireSmart system to strengthen community wildfire resilience

Acknowledging that no two communities are alike, the FireSmart system empowers communities to create and implement wildfire mitigation strategies tailored to the unique wildfire threats in their area.

By selecting from a “menu” of practical actions that fall into the seven FireSmart disciplines, communities work together to create a unique “local recipe” for community wildfire resilience success.

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Educate and empower the whole-of-society

Public education

A successful community FireSmart program requires engagement and strong partnerships. Elected officials, community planners, developers, government, industry, and residents all have important roles to play.

Here are ways you can advance public education in your community.

Train FireSmart Ambassadors

Get your staff FireSmart aware and ready to educate others – within your organization, and in the community. Give them a mandate to drive FireSmart forward.

Share FireSmart resources

Share these resources to help educate your community. From posters, to graphics, to radio scripts, to social media messaging, to presentations, our resource toolkit has what you need to spread the message.

Host an event

Hold a FireSmart event, or make FireSmart part of an existing one. Empower your FireSmart Ambassadors to educate your community.

Deliver local FireSmart programming

With the right training, your community can deliver the FireSmart Neighbourhood Recognition and Advanced Home Assessment Programs. This will lead to a better informed and educated community prepared to take FireSmart action.

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Enhance collaboration and coordination

Interagency cooperation

FireSmart is a shared responsibility. Preparedness requires the collaboration of each group, agency, and organization that might be affected by a wildfire.

Strong partnerships and interagency communication are essential to an effective community FireSmart program.

Regional forestry operations staff and the territorial wildfire prevention and mitigation team are your partners in FireSmart.

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Manage vegetation in your community

Each community has Community Wildfire Protection Plans identifying ways to reduce and remove fuel to reduce community wildfire risk.

The landscape around your community changes as the forest does, and so does vulnerability to wildfire. Keep yours updated with new information every five years to manage your wildfire risk.

Looking for technical help?

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Put FireSmart legislation in place

Legislation, bylaws, plans, policies and development standards all play a significant role in building and maintaining FireSmart communities. Consideration of wildfire at the development planning stage is a key step in protecting communities from wildfire. 

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Plan FireSmart communities

Development standards protect communities from wildfires. From homeowners to local business, it’s everyone’s job to think about wildfire resiliency whether it’s the design phase, during building or while performing renovations. Wildfire resiliency is a cornerstone of sustainable developments.  

Encourage the use of wildfire resilience best practices in home construction.  

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Plan for wildfire emergencies

Wildfire is one of the most common hazards in the Northwest Territories. Planning for all aspects – from response, to evacuation, to recovery – is critical for all communities.

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Cross-training

Wildfires don’t respect jurisdictional boundaries. They move from wildland areas into communities, and from communities into wildland areas. Ensure the collaborative response to unpredictable wildfires is efficient, safe, and organized by planning and training ahead of time.  

Cross-training bridges gaps and helps forge the relationships necessary for responding agencies to be safe, efficient, and successful during a wildfire event. 

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Need more information?

Reach out, we’re ready to support your community on the road to being FireSmart however we can. 

Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Team

FireSmart_Intellifeu@gov.nt.ca

Forest Management Division

Environment and Climate Change

Government of the Northwest Territories

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