Tag Archives: FireSmart

Cost of Climate Change, Disaster, Housing

FireSmarting Rainbow Ridge

Part 3 of 3

There hasn’t been a major wildfire on Cortes Island for decades, but this could change as our summer’s grow hotter and drier. The Rainbow Ridge Affordable Housing project is being designed with this in mind.

“The main idea is to try to have more of a FireSmart community and get rid of the conifers that are much more prone to embers catching fire and then catching the neighbor’s houses and vehicles on fire, like we saw in the California fires this winter,” explained Mark Lombard, speaking on behalf of the Cortes Housing Society. 

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Cost of Climate Change

How climate change impacts insurance costs

By Bhagyashree Chatterjee, The Squamish Chief, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As home insurance costs increase due to climate change, mitigation efforts can help residents stabilize their costs.

“We’re seeing more wildfires, floods, and storms driving up insurance costs,” said Justine Bowman, branch manager at Westland Insurance Group.  

Over the past decade, the cost of claims related to natural disasters in Canada has tripled, reaching over $2 billion annually on average, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC).  

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Fire

Screening of ‘the Test’ On Cortes Island Thursday, June 20, 2024

Male voice: “I’ll vividly remember there was a very large wall of flame methodically marching towards Logan Lake and a huge column of smoke coming off of that  and looking down at these cul de sacs and thinking, ‘wow, they look so small.’ And in my mind, all I could think was that this is either going to be a great day for Logan Lake, or a horrible day.” 

Female voice: “What inspired the first activities in Logan Lake was fear.”

Second female voice: “We’re a small community on top of this beautiful hill surrounded by forest.” – excerpt from ‘the Test.’

There will be a screening of ‘The Test’ in the Mansons Fire Hall at 7 PM, on Thursday, June 20.  

“This is a documentary about the Logan Lake wildfire and their success in preparing for it using the FireSmart methods.  I believe they had been preparing for 18 years before they had a major wildfire come through the community, “explained, Interim Fire Chief Eli McKenty.

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Fire

SRD Carrying Out FireSmart Assessments On Cortes June 11-13

The Strathcona Regional District will be carrying out FireSmart assessments on Cortes Island between Tuesday, June 11, and Thursday June 13. This is a free evaluation of the exterior of your home and surrounding yard,  which usually takes about an hour.   

“I started doing home assessments across the Strathcona Regional District in January.  I have come to Cortes a few times to do public education and have tagged on some home assessments.  I was just there in May for emergency preparedness week, and through that we had quite a few requests to come back for home assessments,” explained Bonnie Logan, Wildfire Risk Reduction Coordinator with the SRD.

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Fire

Cortes Fire Department Preparing For The Worst Case Scenario

The Cortes Island Fire Department is preparing for what could be the driest summer on record. They have purchased more equipment, a new pumper truck, and are about to start recruiting for a much larger wildfire brigade. After a year and a half as the interim Fire Chief, Eli McKenty may be staying on. This was not the story Cortes Currents expected to cover. An open fire prohibition came into effect at noon on Friday, May 17.

They were flushing water through one of the trucks in the front yard, when I arrived. Chief McKenty took me up to the office where it was quieter. There are two other desks there. BC Emergency Health Services Unit Chief Kim Robertson was away, but Office Manager Tammy Allwork was working on her computer. Their work spaces were meticulously laid out, with everything in its place. A few books and papers were sprawled across McKenty’s desk.

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