The Jasper Fire Department will be able to move forward with its FireSmart plans thanks to a $200,000 provincial grant.
The money is half of what fire chief Greg Van Tighem had initially requested, but will still be enough to begin fuel reduction work in the fall of 2017.
According to Van Tighem, the reason the town only received $200,000 was because the Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta (FRIAA) received an overwhelming amount of applications in 2016.
鈥淭hey ensured me there鈥檚 a plan in the works to further the program in 2018 and we were encouraged to apply again so that鈥檚 definitely going to happen,鈥� Van Tighem said during a council meeting on Dec. 20.
The money will be used to reduce the amount of fuel that has regrown in areas previously thinned between 2001 and 2011, such as the fireguard on Pyramid Bench.
鈥淭hat area has not been touched since 2011,鈥� said Van Tighem, adding the mountain pine beetle epidemic has increased the wildfire risk to the community.
According to Van Tighem, there are approximately 720 hectares of previously modified areas around the townsite that need to be improved. The money will allow some of that work to begin.
In addition to carrying out the FireSmart work, there are also several supplemental projects that will be completed, including updating the town鈥檚 wildfire community preparedness plan.
鈥淚t is going to be totally rewritten,鈥� said Van Tighem.
鈥淭he government of Alberta came up with a new template last year and I believe Banff was one of the first communities to change over. I had a chance a few months ago to review their plan and I met with a consultant and a contractor and we鈥檝e come up with a plan to redo the Jasper tactical response plan into the new wildfire community preparedness plan.鈥�
He said the plan will be completed by this May, in time for forest fire season.
There will also be resources allocated to enhancing community awareness and education.
Last year the municipality carried out three FireSmart initiatives including a work bee at Lake Edith, Aspen Gardens and at Bear Hill Lodge. It also paid a consultant to put together a plan to apply for the FRIAA grant it received this year. In total the municipality spent nearly $7,000 on the initiatives.
A work bee initiative is when a group of volunteers get together, along with members from the Jasper Volunteer Fire Brigade, to help clear hazardous trees and tinder from nearby properties to reduce the wildfire risk. The work was supported by a contractor with a small crew, a dump truck and a wood chipper.
Council approved covering the costs, Jan. 3, with unspent FireSmart money left over from 2012. The municipality still has approximately $25,400 it can use for further FireSmart projects in the years ahead.
Paul Clarked
[email protected]
