Innovative wildfire mitigation by municipal governments: Two case studies in Western Canada

Abstract

Wildfires are an environmental hazard event experienced by communities around the world. Recent wildfires in Canada clearly show that wildfires can have significant and long-lasting effects on the communities that are impacted, which highlights the importance of mitigation. At the community level, municipal governments can play an important role in wildfire mitigation. Partners in Protection, a non-governmental organization in Canada, developed the FireSmart program and manual in 1999 which recommends how homeowners and municipal governments can reduce their wildfire risks. Some municipal governments have been innovative by not only adopting FireSmart recommendations, but by also developing and implementing their own additional measures to reduce wildfire risks.The purpose of this study was to explore how and why two municipal governments in western Canada, Logan Lake and Kamloops in the province of British Columbia, developed and implemented innovative wildfire mitigation measures. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 individuals involved in municipal wildfire mitigation plans and activities in the two municipalities. These two municipal governments were able to overcome funding and public opposition barriers. We found that post-wildfire window of opportunity, mountain pine beetle infestation, public and government support, issue champions, access to resources, and collaboration, helped these two municipal governments to develop and implement their innovative wildfire mitigation measures.