2023 FireSmart Community Funding & Supports Application Form

2023 FireSmart Community Funding & Supports

Application Form (January 2023)

New in 2023 – The 2023 FireSmart Community Funding & Supports program will have an open intake. Funding permitting, eligible applicants can submit one application between October 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023 (or until such time that funds are no longer available).

Please complete and return the application form and all required attachments. All questions are required to be answered by typing directly in this form. If you have any questions, contact cri@ubcm.ca or (250) 356-2947.

SECTION 1: Applicant Information

* Contact person must be an authorized representative of the applicant (i.e. staff member or elected official).

SECTION 2: Type of Application

Please identify the type of application you are submitting and provide the required information. Refer to Section 4 in the Program & Application Guide (January 2023 Update) for eligibility.

1. Type of Application (select one only):

Municipalities and First Nation applicants must choose to apply as a single applicant (i.e. no partnering communities) or as part of a regional project for multiple eligible applicants:

• Single applicant (as identified in Section 1 of the application form)
• Regional Project for Multiple Eligible Applicants. Please list all of the partnering eligible applicants included in this application:

Regional Districts must choose to apply as a single applicant (i.e. no partnering communities) or as part of a regional project for multiple eligible applicants and/or multiple electoral areas:

• Single applicant (as identified in Section 1 of the application form)
• Regional Projects for for multiple eligible applicants and/or multiple electoral areas. Please list all partnering eligible applicants and/or electoral areas included in this application. Refer to Section 4 of the program guide for requirements for regional district applications:

2. Rationale for Regional Projects (only). Please provide a rationale for submitting a regional project application and describe how this approach will support cost-efficiencies in the total funding request.

SECTION 3: Project Summary

3. Name of the Project: Town of View Royal Community Wildfire Preparedness

4. Project Summary. Please provide a summary of your project in 150 words or less. Given the Town of View Royal's wildfire urban interface risk, we are proposing a project that will provide the Town with a Community Wilfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP) and the hiring of a FireSmart Coordinator (FSC) whose responsibility will be to increase the Town's FireSmart Preparedness through public education, starting with the highest risk areas in the Thetis Lake area. The FSC will work with Town staff to review and propose changes to municipal bylaws and policies in line with recommendations made in the CWRP (proposed in the application). The FRC will liaise with CRD Parks, private land stakeholders, and Esquimalt First Nation and Songhees First Nation.

The focus of our 2023 FireSmart program will be:

1. Public education and community engagement community events, and residential outreach and assessments coordinated by the FSC.
2. Working with internal and external partners including the development of a Wildfire Resiliency Committee through the FSC
3. Contract a consultant to draft a new CWRP to replace the 2007 CWPP. FSC will assist in coordinating work with consultant.

5. Fire Centre (use check boxes). Indicate which Fire Centre the proposed activities are located in (check all that apply).

• Cariboo Fire Centre
• Coastal Fire Centre
• Kamloops Fire Centre
• Northwest Fire Centre
• Prince George Fire Centre
• Southeast Fire Centre

6. Project Cost & Funding Request:

• Total project cost: $144,785
• Total funding request for FireSmart activities (as indicated on Worksheet(s) 1): $112,775.00
• Total funding request for fuel management activities (as indicated on Worksheet(s) 2): $0.00
• Total funding request for new CWRP or CWPP update (as indicated on Worksheet(s) 3): $32,010
• Total project funding request: 144,785

Have you applied for or received funding for this project from other sources? If yes, please provide details below. No

7. Progress to Date. If you were approved for funding under previous rounds of the FireSmart Community Funding & Supports program, or the 2021 FireSmart Economic Recovery Fund, please describe the activities that have been completed to date and/or what activities your community has not yet completed but will be undertaking to increase resiliency.

• 2019 project (required to be completed): N/A
• 2020 project: N/A
• 2021 projects(s) – FSCFS and/or FSERF: N/A
• 2022 project: N/A

8. Required FireSmart Components. Starting in 2024, it will be required for all applicants to have the following FireSmart components developed/active in their community. Please check which of the following are currently in place and provide a brief summary:

• FireSmart Position: None - Planned for 2023/24
• Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan: Planned for 2023/24
• Community FireSmart & Resiliency Committee: Planned for 2023/24

Applicants that do not have a position, plan and committee are strongly encouraged to apply for these activities in the 2023 intake (and in order to be eligible for future funding).

SECTION 4: Requirements for Funding

9. A. Eligibility Review/Engagement Prior to Submitting an Application. [x] Applications with FireSmart activities only (i.e. only Worksheet 1) - Applicants are required to document engagement in the application. Planning and discussion must occur at a minimum of 30 days prior to submission of an application to allow for meaningful dialogue regarding the proposed FireSmart activities and opportunities for integration of planning on provincial Crown lands.

Please indicate the name(s) and title(s) of the person(s) you engaged with and describe the extent of that engagement.

• Coastal Wildfire - Tony Botica and Dmitri Vasilius; helped to determine Risk Class, WUI mapping requirements and and WUI /AOI areas. Also reviewed Worksheet #3;
• CRD Parks - Andrew Freer; Reviewed project and discussed potential synergies for Wildfire Resiliency Planning in CRD parks within and bordering the Twon of View Royal;
• View Royal Emergency Management - Troy Mollin; Reviewed Community Risk Assessment and assisted with overall application;
• View Royal Development Services - Leanne Taylor; Advised benefits of application as it pertains to future planning and how this project will complement other projects such as Disaster Risk Reduction initiatives and Climate Adaptation Planning;
• View Royal GIS - Dominique Croteau; assisted with mapping; and
• Songhees First Nation - Lane Copley; advised about application and the potential benefits for their Nation.

[ ] New in 2023 - Applications with fuel management activities (Worksheet 2) - Applicants are required to review Worksheet 2 with the BCWS Wildfire Prevention Officer/Prevention Specialist and/or FNESS Mitigation Specialist/Liaison and Section 6 of the worksheet must be completed by the BCWS and/or FNESS before the application is submitted.

[x] New in 2023 - Applications with CWRP development or CWPP Update (Worksheet 3) - Applicants are required to review Worksheet 3 with the BCWS Wildfire Prevention Officer/Prevention Specialist and/or FNESS Mitigation Specialist/Liaison and Section 5 of the worksheet must be completed by the BCWS and/or FNESS before the application is submitted.

B. Acceptable Plan. In order to qualify for funding, applicants must have a current and acceptable plan that includes assessment and identification of FireSmart and/or fuel management priorities (limited to Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan or Community Wildfire Protection Plan). Please outline how your community meets this requirement. Note: applicants that do not have a current and acceptable plan may apply to develop or update a plan.

Last CWPP was drafted in 2007 by B.A. Blackwell and Associates Ltd and the assumption can be made that it has lost some relevance as the WUI and RC in View Royal have changed due to increased development and infrastructure, resources and capablity progress and challenges, and climate change.

Therefore, we are requesting funding as per Worksheet #3 to draft a new CWPP. Submit completed plans with the application form.

SECTION 5: Wildfire Risk & Rationale

10. A. WUI Wildfire Risk Class. What is the WUI Risk Class (1 – 5) for the general area of interest of your community or proposed activities, including the WUI polygon name, from the risk class map? Refer to Appendix 2 of the Program & Application Guide. Risk Class: RC 1 WUI Polygon name: 92B/NW

B. If local assessments provide additional evidence of higher wildfire risk than the WUI Risk Class, provide specific evidence of wildfire risk (reference to appropriate section of a CWRP/CWPP or other plan, etc.). CWPP is from 2007 and is out of date. Applying for funding to draft new CWRP Additional evidence for higher wildfire risk (e.g. CWRP/CWPP extract, copies of assessments, etc.) is required to be submitted with the application form.

C. For the purpose of FireSmart Community Funding & Supports grants, identify the risk category that you are applying under:

• Lower risk of wildfire (may apply for a base grant of up to $100,000)
• Higher risk of wildfire (may apply for a base grant of up to $200,000)

11. Other Rationale. What other rationale or evidence is there for undertaking the proposed project? This may include local hazards identified in the Emergency Plan; threat levels identified in Hazard Risk & Vulnerability Analysis and/or other risk assessments; demonstrated history of repeated and/or significant interface wildfires and evacuations; or other rationale.

Annually there are wildfires and small brush fires in Thetis Lake park and other WUI areas of View Royal. This year there were two wildland fires of note that had the potential to create an interface fire danger. One in Thetis Lake Park above the Highland Rd/Riverside Drive neighbourhoods, and another fire between Highland Rd and Barker Rd that cut off access to homes in View Royal north of Thetis Lake Park. As we continue to see a trend of longer periods of warmer temperatures without precipitation (as detailed in our 2022 Community Risk Assessment by Logic League), the risk of more extreme wildfire behaviour is increasing. The need to have a CWRP and FireSmart activities for View Royal is evident and overdue.

Evidence of other rationale (e.g. Local Authority Emergency Plan extract, copies of assessments, etc.) is required to be submitted with the application form.

12. Communtiy Capacity Challenges. Please describe any capacity challenges that your community faces in relation to wildfire risk reduction. This could include rural/remote location, lack of local fire department and/or lack of FireSmart position or Community Wildfire Resiliency Committee

The Town of View Royal is primarily suburban residential with a small neighbourhood of rural residents. Our greatest risk of WUI is in the neighbourhoods adjacent to and within Thetis Lake Park. There is one road in and out of these areas, limiting ability to evacuate quickly should access be cut off by a wildfire event. This same access issue will also affect the fire department's ability to respond quickly into these higher risk areas.

Smaller pockets of Wildland Urban Interface risk exist in the areas of Portage/Glentana Park, Mill Hill, Wilfert Rd (DND Property that backs onto ToVR), Burnside Rd, Watkiss Way, Eagle Creek Park, Knockan Hill, and Songhees First Nation Lands and Esquimalt First Nation Lands (who we provide fire protection and emergency management services).

In terms of emergency response, View Royal Fire Dept staffs the station with 3-4 firefighters 24/7. While there is the ability to call out additional volunteer/paid on call firefighters, there is no guarantee of how many, if any, additional firefighters will respond. Therefore initial size up, fire attack and evacuation efforts may be hampered. Mutual aid exists with the Cities of Colwood and Langford, however because emergency call volumes in the Westshore continue to increase every year, response is also not guaranteed and will be slower.

Furthermore, the VRFD career staffing, who are responsible for daily emergency response activities, all have portfolios (Administration, Fire Prevention, Emergency Management, Training, Maintainence, etc), that require all of staff's non-emergency time to manage. The time and ability required to conduct FireSmart activities and community wildfire planning is extremely restricted.

SECTION 6: Detailed Project Information

13. Proposed Activities. Please refer to Section 6 of the Program & Application Guide for eligibility, and complete Worksheet 1: Proposed Activities & Cost-Estimate. Worksheet 1 is required to be completed for all applications and all projects must include an Education component.

14. Increasing Resiliency. Please indicate how the proposed project will increase community resiliency by undertaking community-based FireSmart planning and activities that reduce the community’s risk from wildfire.

The hiring of a FireSmart Coordinator will allow us to build a FireSmart team that can engage with our community through both events and neighbourhood outreach initiatives. Education is an essential component for residents to understand the importance of the FireSmart program and take ownership of their role in wildfire mitigation. We hope to reduce barriers that may prevent mitigation activities by increasing the opportunity for free and convenient disposal of vegetative material through both Community Clean-Up Days and FireSmart Work Days. We will also be initiating a Home Ignition Zone Assessments and would like to begin FireSmart Home Partners Assessments (dependent on training availability). Our goal for our FireSmart Coordinator is to launch a FireSmart program and solidify it as an integral part of Town operations. Through engagement with Town staff, the FireSmart Coordinator can both share knowledge and work collaboratively to incorporate more FireSmart principals in more Town departments to help achieve both short-term and long-term FireSmart goals. We will also focus on building relationships with neighbouring communities and outside agencies (including CRD).

A CWRP developed to the 2022 CRI Program template and standards that identifies local wildfire risk, vulnerabilities, and opportunities, will guide future actions to promote wildfire resiliency in the Town of View Royal

What performance measures will be used to asses the success of the proposed activites?

1. Number of residential and neigbourhood assessments completed
2. Increased engagement at events measured by interactions and distribution of material
3. Resident participation in the removal of vegetation through Community Clean up and Fire Smart Work Days
4. Creation of FireSmart & Resiliency Committee
5. Completion of CWRP Plan: Relevent, realistic and usable action plan and recommendations that are synergisitic with regional priorities/plans, implementable by the ToVR/CRD during the forseeable life of the CWRP, and eligibility for future CRIP FireSmart Community Funding and supports.

15. Partnerships & Collaboration. Please identify any other authorities you will collaborate with on the proposed project (e.g. community or resident organizations, First Nation or Indigenous organizations, or other local governments) and outline how you intend to work together.

We wish to establish partnerships with the neighbouring municipalities, potentially participating in a Westshore FireSmart Resiliency committee. The City of Langford's FireSmart coordinator began these relationships last year and View Royal is hoping to be a part of it this year. We want the FireSmart coordinator to seek out opportunities for future partnerships, such as through local businesses and community organizations. We would also like to enhance our relationship with the CRD Parks as they manage parks within our border including Thetis Lake which is a significant factor to our wildfire risk.

16. Additional Information. Please share any other information you think may help support your submission.

SECTION 7: Application Check List

Submit the completed Application Form and all required related attachments as e-mail attachments to cri@ubcm.ca and note “2023 CRI” in the subject line. Submit your application as either a Word or PDF file(s). If you submit by e-mail, hardcopies and/or additional copies of the application are not required.

SECTION 8: Signature

Applications are required to be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant. Please note all application materials will be shared with the Province of BC and the BC FireSmart Committee.

I certify that: (1) to the best of my knowledge, all information is accurate and (2) the area covered by the approved project is within the applicant’s jurisdiction (or appropriate approvals are in place).

Name: Paul Hurst Title: Director of Protective Services Signature*: [A certified electronic or original signature is required.] Date: 29 Sept 2023

* Signatory must be an authorized representative of the applicant (i.e. staff member or elected official).