FireSmart your property

Help reduce the risk of wildfire affecting your property. FireSmart is a program developed by Partners in Protection that outlines ways individuals can help protect their property from wildfire. To pick up a copy of the Home Owners FireSmart manual, visit Fire Station #1 or #4.

Priority 1 zone is 10 metres surrounding your home

  • Remove flammable trees and shrubs such as pine, spruce and juniper. Species such as aspen, poplar and birch have lower flammability rates.
  • Remove deadfall or woodpiles from this area.
  • Keep your grass mowed and watered.

Priority 2 zone is 10 to 30 metres away from your home

  • Reduce fuels by thinning and pruning trees. This is so that intense wildfires don't have as much fuel to burn.
  • Thin or space trees so that the tops of each tree are at least 3 to 6 metres apart.
  • Remove tree branches up to 2 metres from the ground, thick shrubbery and deadfall.
  • Because fires spread more easily uphill and downwind, extend this zone further on downhill slopes and on windward exposures.

Priority 3 zone is 30 to 100 metres from your home 

  • Thin the area so fires will be low intensity and more easily extinguished. Removing combustible fuels from the forest is not this zone's intent.
  • Thin or reduce shrubs and trees. Try to keep fire resistant trees like aspen, poplar and birch and space more flammable trees so that their crowns are at least 3 to 6 metrtes apart.

Fire suppression

  • There is access to the area for emergency vehicles; i.e. road width, grade, curves, layout, and design accommodate emergency vehicles.
  • There is an on-site water supply. Tanks, ponds, pools or underground cisterns can be developed.
  • Suppression equipment is on site and accessible (i.e. shovels, rakes, garden hose long enough to reach roof tops, rooftop access ladder and
    sprinkler).
  • All streets and roads are marked with highly visible, noncombustible signs.
  • Your address is clearly visible for quick identification. Further details.

Further information

780-467-5216

 

Last updated: Thursday, April 08, 2010
Page ID: 2331

County Hall: 2001 Sherwood Drive, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada T8A 3W7