The chief of Kamloops Fire Rescue says there could be ways to provide incentives for private property owners to mitigate wildfire risks on their property.
Mike Adams was asked at Kamloops council this week if there were measures that could be taken by the province, as councillor Dieter Duty pointed out while necessary, a great deal of those initiatives are expensive.
“Whatever that may or may not look like, I think there’s further conversation probably at a higher level, to engage maybe with the provincial government and other stakeholders, on how we can do that for the private landowners so that they can overcome the challenges and the expenses of doing those treatments on their own properties,” Adam says.
Adams says he sympathizes with private landowners about the costs to cut down fire risks, but says he implores them to do what they can to protect their own property.
“From a homeowners perspective or a business owner, we ask that you walk around your property and look at ways that you can remove flammable materials. Such as if it’s cardboard or pallets on your business properties, or at home moving some debris away from your house or your wood pile. And consider changing some of the things that you have for landscaping.”