Community Resiliency FireSmart funding to support Mount Tzouhalem and Maple Mountain wildfire mitigation work

(North Cowichan, BC) – North Cowichan will be conducting fuel hazard reduction treatments on Mount Tzouhalem and Maple Mountain following receipt of a $200,000 grant from the Community Resiliency Investment FireSmart Community and Support Program. The funding also includes hiring communications support to promote the project and provide public FireSmart education.

Fuel hazard reduction is a process to reduce wildfire risk, which is key in the urban interface areas, like Mount Tzouhalem and Maple Mountain. Strategies can include thinning to remove smaller, flammable trees, pruning to remove branches near the ground, debris management to reduce leftover forest fuels, and removal of diseased, dead, or dying trees. The work is supervised by a qualified forest professional to ensure forest values such as biodiversity, recreational trails, and cultural values are protected.

The FireSmart Community Funding & Supports program provides funding to local governments and First Nations in British Columbia to undertake community-based FireSmart planning and activities that reduce the community’s risk from wildfire.

To learn more about North Cowichan’s ongoing work to mitigate wildfires within the community, visit www.northcowichan.ca/wildfire

-30-

Media Contact:
Barb Floden
Manager, Communications and Public Engagement
communications@northcowichan.ca