Brief 

Explore practical steps for homeowners and communities to significantly cut down wildfire risks, as highlighted in a recent Canadian study.

 

 

Insight

The Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo recently released a study underscoring the importance of proactive measures in reducing wildfire risks. The 2023 season in Canada saw unprecedented wildfire damage, surpassing records set in 1995. The study, titled “Ahead of the Flames,” outlines actions that can reduce the risk of homes burning by up to 75%, especially in forested and grassland areas.

Key recommendations for homeowners include creating buffer zones and using fire-resistant materials. Practical steps like storing wood away from homes, clearing flammable materials near foundations, and cutting down trees within 10 meters of buildings are suggested. The report also recommends fire-rated roofing materials like asphalt, fibre cement, or metal to prevent roof ignitions from embers.

For communities, the study advises measures such as removing branches near power lines, implementing 30-meter buffer zones in designs, and ensuring sufficient water supplies for firefighting. The research highlights the economic benefits of these precautions, estimating savings of $34 for every dollar invested in fire-resistant construction, and $14 for each dollar spent on retrofitting buildings.

The study finds that 60% of Canadian communities are vulnerable to wildfires due to proximity to forests and grasslands. Contributing factors include urban expansion, lack of national building standards for wildfire protection, flammable vegetation accumulation, and a century of fire suppression. Climate change exacerbates this, extending wildfire seasons by roughly 30 days annually, with varying impacts across the country.

Blair Feltmate, the centre’s director, emphasizes that this report aims to guide Canadians in aligning with the federal government’s National Adaptation Strategy. This strategy seeks to develop and implement wildfire prevention and mitigation plans in high-risk communities by 2030, with a target of 15% implementation by 2028.

 

Highlgight

  1.  The study, titled “Ahead of the Flames,” outlines actions that can reduce the risk of homes burning by up to 75%, especially in forested and grassland areas.
  2. Practical steps like storing wood away from homes, clearing flammable materials near foundations, and cutting down trees within 10 meters of buildings are suggested.
  3. The report also recommends fire-rated roofing materials like asphalt, fibre cement, or metal to prevent roof ignitions from embers.
  4. The research highlights the economic benefits of these precautions, estimating savings of $34 for every dollar invested in fire-resistant construction, and $14 for each dollar spent on retrofitting buildings.

 

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