The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) has been awarded for their efforts in making the region more protected against wildfires.
President of FireSmart Canada, Laura Stewart, presented an award to Mayor Don Scott during the FireSmart Community Series on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018.
“FireSmart Canada is thrilled to honour the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo with the FireSmart Community Protection Achievement Award,” said Stewart. “Following the 2016 Horse River Wildfire we have watched the Municipality take a strategic and innovative approach to mitigating wildfire risk in their community, and we’re proud to be partners with them on this valuable work.”
The award recognizes communities across the country who are dedicated to reducing the risk of wildfires and who have implemented FireSmart practices to improve the public’s safety.
Between 2004 and 2015, the RMWB has spent in excess of $1,000,000 conducting FireSmart activities. Approximately $800,000 from various funding sources was spent on vegetation management projects and approximately $200,000 was spent on community education events that have taken place throughout most communities in the RMWB.
In the spring of 2018, the RMWB collaborated with FireSmart Canda and Tree Canada to offer community grants as part of #Operation ReLeaf – Fort McMurray. Grants of up to $10,000 were given to seven community groups and grants of up to $3,000 were given to almost 200 residents for planting fire resistant trees on private property. In total Tree Canada provided more than $400,000 in funding and helped plant 78,000 trees in the RMWB.
From March 1 to Sep. 1, 2018 there have been 98 wildfires in the Fort McMurray Forest Area with a total area burned of 3,302.95 hectares. The final size of the 2016 Horse River Wildfire was 589,552 hectares.
