Homeowners play a vital role in safeguarding their homes and property from fires. By taking practical and proactive measures, communities can significantly reduce the risk of wildfires before they become a threat.

Ladysmith is working at being a FireSmart Community. FireSmart homes and neighbourhoods allow firefighters to concentrate on fighting the wildfire, which ultimately saves more homes and lives. Communities where residents take proactive measures to reduce their vulnerability are more likely to withstand a wildfire without requiring fire department intervention.

Some of these preventative measures cost very little and reduce fire dangers by a great deal.

Fire Prevention Tips for Your Home and Yard

Home	Yard
Clean roofs and gutters of debris	Keep lawn mowed
Ensure doors have a good fire rating and a good seal, including garage doors	Remove debris piles on a regular basis - spring/fall
Clear debris from under decking	Bark mulch is highly flammable - keep away from house by 10m
Ensure chimneys have a spark arrester to reduce sparks or embers from spreading	Place woodpiles away from your home
Consider screening eaves and vents with mesh to prevent	Place fire pits or burn barrels away from the house, as well as out of the way of trees
Double-paned windows offer the best fire protection	Ensure trees don't come close to power lines

FireSmart

Have you heard of FireSmart? It focuses on strengthening your home's resilience during a wildfire. Did you know that firebrands—hot, flying embers—can travel up to 2 km, igniting spot fires ahead of the main fire? This means that having a FireSmart home is just as crucial in the heart of town as it is on the forest's edge.

Curious if your home is FireSmart? Contact Emergency Management Cowichan to schedule a free home assessment or connect with our FireSmart representatives for more information. To learn more or book your appointment, visit Emergency Management Cowichan's website: https://emcowichan.ca/programs-resources/fire-smart/neighborhood-group/.

FireSmart Community: Controlling Vegetation

Did you know that uncontrolled vegetation, particularly tall grass, is a fire hazard? Town staff would like to remind property owners that the hot, dry weather creates fire hazards - that's why it's so important to maintain landscaping and ensure that vegetation on all properties, including those that are vacant, is controlled. Owners of vacant land are still responsible for maintenance, even if they don't live there. Please also remember that it's your responsibility to mow long grass on boulevards adjacent to your property.

Let's all do our part to keep our community safe and beautiful!


Before	After