District of Clearwater establishes new wildfire initial attack crew; expands FireSmart mitigation work

CLEARWATER, B.C. — The District of Clearwater has established a pair of wildfire response and mitigation initiatives to help it better respond to a growing threat facing the community.

In a news release, the District says Clearwater council approved the creation of the Clearwater Fire Department Initial Attack (FDIA) Crew and an expansion of the FireSmart Fuel Mitigation Crew. It comes as new modelling identified the community as the most at-risk small community in Canada by 2050.

“I have long said that Clearwater is not an interface town; we live within a forest instead of being surrounded by one,” Mayor Merlin Blackwell said. “Many Clearwater homeowners have more trees on their lots than there are trees in entire neighbourhoods in other cities or towns.”

The District has been unsuccessfully lobbying for the return of the BC Wildfire Service initial attack crews, which Blackwell says were pulled out of the area “several years ago.”

“We have seen consistently longer and hotter wildfire seasons. Clearwater Council and Staff had to acknowledge that risk and respond accordingly,” Blackwell said Thursday.

The District says funding for both initiatives will primarily come from existing reserves and provincial grant programs. It notes the startup costs for the initial attack crew will be funded through the Wells Gray Community Forest Reserve, which was previously established through community forest donations.

Clearwater Fire Chief Mike Smith says the FDIA crew will allow his department to respond quickly to wildfire starts within District boundaries. Crews will also be able to respond up to 10 kilometers beyond District boundaries without approval from the BC Wildfire Service.

“The Initial Attack Crew will significantly reduce response times by providing an immediate, specialized wildfire suppression capability directly within our community,” Smith said.

“Equipped with a tactical water tender, and a wildland bush truck specifically outfitted for off-road wildfire response, this crew will be ready to deploy swiftly to wildfire incidents, ensuring rapid containment and suppression before fires escalate.”

The District of Clearwater is looking for up to six local residents to join the new initial attack crew. While applicants with prior firefighting experience or a background in forestry are encouraged to apply, they say they will train the right candidates.

“Successful applicants do not need to commit to traditional structural firefighting duties and will be provided comprehensive wildfire-specific training,” the District said, in a statement. “All training sessions and response activities will be compensated.”

“Further details about qualifications, expectations, compensation, and training schedules will be announced shortly.”

Expanded FireSmart mitigation

As for the FireSmart Mitigation Crew, the District says it will expand its department from two part-time positions that work 300 hours a year to to three full-time seasonal positions that will work for 1,920 hours a year.

“This crew will greatly enhance the District’s ability to perform fuel reduction and mitigation projects around critical municipal infrastructure, district roadways, evacuation routes, and targeted private properties,” the statement said.

FireSmart Coordinator Chance Breckenridge says this crew will be equipped with a new wood chipper that will allow them to work during fire season when open burning is restricted.

“Expanding our Mitigation Crew will substantially increase our ability to proactively reduce wildfire hazards,” Breckenridge said. “With more hours and better equipment, we can complete extensive fuel reduction projects throughout the community, creating safer, more defensible spaces that protect homes, roads, and critical infrastructure.”

The expanded FireSmart Mitigation Crew will be fully funded until 2027 by using a combination of the District’s Local Government Climate Action Program (LGCAP) reserves and its annual FireSmart Grant contributions.

More to come

Clearwater Fire Department apparatus prepped for wildfire response. (Image Credit: District of Clearwater)