Preventing damage caused by fires one step at a time.
The Marie Lake community was honoured on June 17 for being a FireSmart community during the 2018 Wildfire Community Preparedness Day event.
Calvin Sikstrom, the FireSmart community leader for Marie Lake, said that the neighbourhood put together a chipping event to commemorate the day. The chips are used to reduce hazards in the area.
“This is our third year trying to be fire smart, and our first event was to try and clean up some debris that was at an oil and gas site in March of 2017.”
A community assessment report was completed by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, and it addressed any of the hazards that may cause a fire at Marie Lake.
The report identified hazards on each property.
“Within our own community we have quads, fire pits and barbecues,” said Sikstrom. “The report says that’s the likely scenario for a fire here.”
Sikstrom noted the area has seen fires over the years, including the Primrose Lake fire, and the latest fire, which was three weeks before the event, at a gravel pit where locals had been throwing wood debris.
“It’s a possibility,” he said about a fire happening close enough to affect the community. “We don’t have a fire department here, we’re on our own. If we can help each other make ourselves saver, then that is what we are going to do.”
“There’s been a number of fires over the years that have impacted the area that have brought up the need to protect your homes,” said Clifton McKay, a Wild Fire Technologist for the Lac La Biche Fire Centre.
McKay started Marie Lake’s journey to become a FireSmart community when he went door-to-door handing out pamphlets about the program. He asked residents what their ideas were for fire prevention in the area.
The FireSmart Community Recognition Program is meant to teach the public about how to decrease the damage of forest fires to their homes, and how to prevent as much damage as possible to properties in the case of a fire.
“The beauty of FireSmart is that there is so much that you can do,” explained the Wildfire Information officer for Agriculture and Forestry, Lesley Lozinski. “From little things that don’t cost anything, except a little muscle, to bigger things that are more costly. People can consider these when they’re doing renovations for home improvements.”
Becoming a FireSmart community is no easy task, and involves organization and determination from each member of the neighbourhood.
Sikstrom explained that FireSmart requires a local board, and for Marie Lake to work with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Bonnyville Fire Department, and Cold Lake Fire-Rescue to develop a plan safety plan. They’re also required to organize clean up events, pay a minor fee per property, and to keep track of the volunteer efforts.
Community members are aware that being a FireSmart community is something they need to work on.
“Being FireSmart is not an easy task,” noted Sikstrom. “It’s not just do it once, and you’re done. I think we can always be smarter, and that is how we will prevent fires.”
Marie Lake has been one of seven communities in Alberta to gain this status since 2014.
