Courtesy of the Government of BC:
Editor's Note -- the following Local or Indigenous Governments of the Cariboo-Chilcotin are receiving wildfire reduction grants and congratulations to these Governments:
* City of Quesnel -- $56,900 to assist with education, FireSmart activities in residential areas
* City of Williams Lake -- $386,995 to assist with education, planning, development considerations, interagency co-operation, fuel management, FireSmart activities in residential areas and critical infrastructure
* Xeni Gwet'in First Nation -- $143,635 to assist with education, planning, interagency co-operation, emergency planning, cross-training, fuel management, FireSmart activities for critical infrastructure
The B.C. government has provided more than $696,000 in grants to four local governments and one First Nation in the Cariboo Fire Centre to support wildfire-risk-reduction initiatives and help keep communities safe.
These Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) grants are part of more than $13 million provided to 107 recipients throughout B.C. following the latest application intake in the program’s FireSmart Community Funding and Supports category.
“Last year’s devastating fire season highlighted the importance of implementing FireSmart activities around B.C. communities and, as we saw in Logan Lake, it can make a big difference,” said the Hon. Katrine Conroy, BC's Minister of Forests. “In Budget 2022, our government committed $90 million in community grants to complete FireSmart initiatives and fuel-management activities that will help safeguard homes and communities from wildfire threats.”
The FireSmart Community Funding and Supports category of the CRI program helps fund FireSmart-related initiatives, including priority fuel-management projects on provincial Crown land and private land. First Nations and local governments can use the money to complete wildfire-risk-reduction and prevention activities, including those on public, reserve and private land.
“The last wildfire season was devastating for many communities throughout our province,” said Jennifer Rice, Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness. “By providing funding to local governments and First Nations in the Cariboo Fire Centre, we’re making sure communities are better prepared to reduce and respond to wildfire threats.”
The Union of BC Municipalities administers the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports program. It processes grant applications in partnership with the Ministry of Forests and the First Nations’ Emergency Services Society of British Columbia. Eligible applicants facing lower wildfire risk can apply for as much as $50,000, while applicants facing demonstrated higher wildfire risk can apply for as much as $150,000. Communities can apply for funding to cover as much as 100% of the cost of their wildfire-risk-reduction projects.
Mitigating wildfire threats is a shared responsibility of the provincial government, local governments, First Nations, industry, stakeholders and individual British Columbians. The CRI program helps increase community resiliency by funding activities that promote FireSmart education, planning and opportunities for partnerships through regional FireSmart committees.
Learn More:
Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) program:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status/prevention/funding-for-wildfire-prevention/crip
Information about CRI grants is available on the Union of BC Municipalities website at:
https://www.ubcm.ca/funding-programs/local-government-program-services/community-resiliency-investment
Read more about the FireSmart program and the seven FireSmart disciplines at: https://firesmartbc.ca/
A backgrounder follows.
Backgrounders
The B.C. government is providing $13,047,561 through the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports category of the Community Resiliency Investment program for 107 wildfire-risk-mitigation projects throughout British Columbia.
The approved applications within the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction are below.
Cariboo Fire Centre ($696,475 for 5 grants):
- Ashcroft Indian Band: $38,945 to assist with education, development considerations, interagency co-operation, FireSmart activities for residential areas
- City of Quesnel: $56,900 to assist with education, FireSmart activities in residential areas
- City of Williams Lake: $386,995 to assist with education, planning, development considerations, interagency co-operation, fuel management, FireSmart activities in residential areas and critical infrastructure
- Village of Clinton: $70,000 to assist with education, planning
- Xeni Gwet'in First Nations: $143,635 to assist with education, planning, interagency co-operation, emergency planning, cross-training, fuel management, FireSmart activities for critical infrastructure
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