Town of View Royal Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan 2025 (Presentation)

Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP) Project Phases

• Background review
• Field work (October 2024)
• Plan development:
  • Identify wildfire threat through spatial analysis
  • Interpret data, describe potential consequences of wildfire
  • Action plan to reduce wildfire risk (FireSmart Disciplines)

Result: Recommendations to increase wildfire resiliency

The Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)

Intermix Developments embedded in forest/wildland

Interface Where the “forest meets the community”

Area of Interest & ‘Eligible WUI’

• Eligible Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) area can be assessed for purposes of a CWRP:
  • Field work
    • Wildfire Threat Assessment plots
    • Fuel type verification
  • Spatial analysis of wildfire threat
  • Not including private land

Eligible WUI

• Approximate total area: 1400 ha

Local Wildfire Threat

Wildfire Threat

• <1% of public land is extreme or high threat
• 20% of public land is moderate threat
• 80% of public land is low or very low threat
• 46% of Eligible WUI is private land – not analyzed

Key Recommendations

Education

• Continue to:
  • Employ FireSmart Coordinator
  • Host workshops, multi-media messaging & community events
  • Promote Wildfire Mitigation Assessments & FireSmart rebate program
• Establish new programming:
  • FireSmart Education Program
  • FireSmart Plant Program

Planning and Legislation

• Update Emergency Response Plan
• Revise Tree Protection, Emergency Management bylaws
• Complete the Urban Forest Strategy

Development Considerations

• Assess & upgrade critical infrastructure
• Include Wildfire Development Permit Area in the Official Community Plan update
• Consider FireSmart principles in Official Community Plan policies

Interagency Cooperation

• Continue participating in the Greater Victoria Community FireSmart & Resiliency Committee
• Continue regular information sharing and consider a collaborative grant application with Esquimalt (Kosapsum) and Songhees First Nations
• Strengthen relationship with BC Wildfire Service

Cross-Training

• Continue attending Wildfire Resiliency and Training Summit
• Maintain or expand interface wildfire training and FireSmart training for department members

Emergency Planning

• Install water cisterns and wildfire equipment cache at key locations
• Evaluate funding sources for more pullouts and signage on Barker Road
• Evaluate opportunities for additional paid Emergency Management & Fire Prevention Division staff
• Continue reviewing inventory of wildfire equipment with BCWS

Vegetation Management

• Continue working with invasive species volunteer programs
• Engage with BC Hydro and promote vegetation management on transmission line rights-of-way
• Continue hosting community chipping days for residents

Thank you!

Questions?

Please contact: m_nederend@bablackwell.com