City of Kamloops Updates its Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan: Residents Encouraged to Participate in Survey

Release Date

Like many parts of the province, Kamloops is in an active fire environment. In recent years, our community has been surrounded by record-breaking wildfires and has been a central hub for emergency response. With more severe fire seasons, wildfire resiliency, prevention, and mitigation have become essential priorities for our community.

The City of Kamloops is developing a Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan to address these challenges. This new plan represents the next generation of wildfire preparedness following the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which was last updated in 2016. Significant work has been done since 1986 to protect our community, and this latest plan will build on those efforts by incorporating the newest strategies and insights.

Residents are invited to participate in a short survey to provide a baseline understanding of personal perceptions of wildfire threats, vulnerabilities, and potential actions to improve local resiliency. This is a key opportunity for the public to help shape the education and awareness actions built into the updated plan. The City will collect online survey feedback until midnight on Thursday, October 31, 2024. If you do not have access to a computer, paper surveys will be available at City Hall (7 Victoria Street West) or the Civic Operations Centre (955 Concordia Way). Completed forms will be accepted at either location until 4:00 pm on Thursday, October 31, 2024. 

To participate in the survey, visit LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/CWRP.

The Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan aims to:

  • assess and identify wildfire threats and vulnerabilities within municipal and public lands and surrounding areas, excluding private property
  • recommend actions to enhance wildfire resiliency and mitigate risks
  • provide guidance on the seven FireSmart disciplines and how they contribute to wildfire prevention at various levels
  • offer actionable steps and priority recommendations to reduce wildfire risks on municipal and public lands

This plan is being developed in collaboration with Kamloops Fire Rescue, the BC Wildfire Service, and other stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive, community-focused approach. The updated framework will support the City’s efforts to serve as a provincial leader in wildfire resiliency.

Learn more about the Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan at LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/CWRP.