Yellowknife — June 20, 2024
The FireSmart Canada Advanced Home Assessment Program is now available to help Northwest Territories residents become more wildfire resilient.
The program connects motivated northerners with experts to assess what changes could be made to their homes, cabins and properties, today and in the future, to be ready before wildfires happen. The service is offered at no cost.
Assessments were offered in Fort Simpson from June 14-18 and are scheduled in the following communities:
- Fort Providence: June 21-25
- Inuvik, Fort McPherson, Tsiigehtchic: July 9-15
Email FireSmart_Intellifeu@gov.nt.ca to request an assessment.
Additional opportunities will be advertised throughout the summer. The plan is to reach each region.
Phase one delivery
This summer, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) will focus on delivering assessments in communities where local fire departments are not currently offering the Advanced Home Assessment Program.
Assessments will be advertised on specific days within communities, and a FireSmart Home Ignition Zone Specialist will organize the assessment with the homeowner. Limited spaces are available as assessors may also participate in wildfire operation needs.
Cross-training has been completed with members of the Yellowknife and Norman Wells fire departments. Additional cross-training will be delivered over the summer as time allows based on fire operations requirements.
Delivery in the future
Further cross-training will be organized through the fall and winter of 2024, with a goal of getting communities trained and ready to deliver the program alongside the GNWT as possible before spring 2025.
As more communities offer the program locally, capacity to look beyond community boundaries to cabins may increase.
Quote
“I would like to thank all the NWT residents who were proactive in implementing FireSmart action before this year’s wildfire season. We have been investing in programs that connect northerners with the expertise they need to make a plan for wildfire resilience at their homes and cabins, and we will continue to support local cross-training and capacity-building to help our communities, residents and partners increase wildfire resilience across the whole-of-society.”
- Jay Macdonald, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Quick Facts
- Home assessments help prioritize actions that should be taken immediately, and plan for actions that are more realistic to complete in the future.
- Delivery of home assessments includes active engagement with individual homeowners – offering more value for them in protecting their properties.
- Home Ignition Zone Specialists are certified by FireSmart Canada.
Related Links
For media requests, please contact:
Mike Westwick
Manager, Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation
Environment and Climate Change
Government of the Northwest Territories
867-688-0958