A message from our Wildfire Mitigation Specialist - sign up - it's free

 

My name is Josh Kester and I am the Wildfire Mitigation Specialist for Area E/West Boundary. We are beginning to drive the FireSmart program in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, and it begins with property owners partaking in the Free FireSmart Home Assessment Program. This is a completely FREE exterior only assessment that is digitalized and customized to the property owner’s structures and land. These assessments are strictly voluntary and under no circumstances is the owner required to complete the recommendations. This is for education purposes. There are multiple benefits to completing the recommendations, though which include potential insurance premium reductions, maintaining insurance, and increasing your properties survivability against a wildfire.

 

The FireSmart Home Partners Program aims to actively involve property owners, including those residing in strata buildings, in voluntary wildfire mitigation activities. We offer a professional home assessment with personalized recommendations, specifically tailored to each property. This program is provided completely free of charge and presents an opportunity for property owners to mitigate their properties against wildfire. Our assessment process effectively evaluates the vulnerability of a home or building, along with its surrounding property, to wildfire risks, while engaging owners in understanding their unique risks and strategies to minimize them.

 

During the assessment, we thoroughly inspect the exterior of the structure and property, considering factors such as the presence of a 1.5-metre non-combustible surface around the entire structure and attached additions like decks, the adequacy of exterior vents to prevent the entry of blowing embers, and the proximity of the building to slopes within a 10-meter range. The assessment typically takes between 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of the property. We can conduct assessments on individual houses, units, or entire complexes. The resulting report is delivered digitally and includes site-specific photographs, providing specific recommendations for property owners to implement to mitigate their properties against wildfire.

 

The Wildfire Mitigation Specialist and the owner arrange a convenient time to meet on-site, but if you cannot be there, the report can be completed, and I will follow up to discuss the findings. During the meeting, we conduct multiple walks around the property to identify potential hazards and provide recommendations.

Subsequently, I will compile the report, prepare the final copy, and send it to the homeowner. This process not only identifies potential risks but also helps homeowners develop a better understanding of wildfire behavior, as viewed through the eyes of a Wildfire Mitigation Specialist. Our aim is to encourage proactive measures in mitigating properties against wildfire.

 

If this is something you are interested in you can sign up here https://www.firesmartapp.ca/application/BC3AF email me at wms3@rdkb.com, or contact me on my cell phone at 236-968-3853.