Even in our lush, coastal climate, the risk of wildfire is real. FireSmart Kitimat is here to help our community prepare, protect, and thrive; no matter what nature brings.
Our team partners with residents, neighbourhoods, and local organizations to create practical strategies that safeguard homes, properties, and the places we love. Together, we can strengthen our community’s resilience.
What we offer:
- Free FireSmart Home Assessments – Practical, personalized guidance to help you reduce wildfire risks around your property.
- Funding Opportunities – Access to special programs that support your FireSmart projects and goals.
- Community Outreach & Events – Hands-on activities, workshops, and resources to bring wildfire awareness and action to life.
FireSmart isn’t just about prevention, it’s about working together to protect what matters most.
Take the first step toward a safer, more resilient community.
Wildfire Mitigation Assessments
Wildfire Mitigation Assessments provide in-depth, personalized guidance to reduce wildfire risks around your property. Since FireSmart Kitimat began in 2019, the fire danger rating in our region has increased in just six years. Protecting your home, especially the first 1.5 m / 5 ft, has the most significant impact.
We don’t expect community members to fight forest fires, but reducing fuel loads around your property gives firefighters a better chance to protect your home. These assessments help you create a safe, defensible space.
Protect Your Home: Sign Up for a Free Wildfire Mitigation Assessment:
Schedule Your Assessment
Rebates
Rebate information is provided after your assessment, as forms change annually based on grant funding rules. Eligible homeowners can receive financial support for mitigation work completed following the assessment.
Important Dates:
- Applications stop being accepted on March 31 each year.
- New applications open on June 1.
Completing a Wildfire Mitigation Assessment is required to access rebate opportunities and to ensure you receive the appropriate guidance to protect your home.
Schedule your Wildfire Mitigation Program Hub | FireSmart BC, or email us at firesmart@kitimat.ca if you have questions or want to learn more about getting involved with FireSmart Kitimat.
Click below to learn some effective FireSmart tips for your home.
| Top 3 tips to FireSmart your home |
Clear away dry brush, dead leaves, and flammable plants. Remove hedges and wooden fences that are attached to or touch your home. This “defensible space” reduces the risk of wildfires and gives firefighters a better chance to protect your property.
Plant fire-resistant species and keep your garden green and hydrated. Thoughtful landscaping is your first line of defense, helping to stop flames from spreading to your home.
Opt for non-combustible roofing, siding, and decking. These materials act as a shield, reducing the chance your home will catch fire during a wildfire event. |
About FireSmart™ Kitimat
FireSmart Kitimat operates out of the Public Safety Building, affectionately known as the Fire Hall. As of 2025, our program runs year-round, supported by grant funding, with a clear mission: to raise awareness of wildfire risks and empower every household with prevention strategies and education— decisions that can impact lives for a lifetime.
Historically, our focus was on a dedicated team of summer students who energized the community during their 15-week term. Their efforts included school visits, hosting community BBQs, developing social media content, marketing, conducting Home Ignition Zone assessments, and sharing wildfire safety information, primarily through digital channels and social media.
Today, FireSmart Kitimat works closely with Kitimat Fire and Ambulance and the Kitamaat Nation Volunteer Fire Department to strengthen community resilience. Our efforts have expanded to include development planning and innovative cross-agency partnerships, collaborating with BC Parks through the Park Enhancement Fund, BC Wildfire Services, and other key partners, while serving both the District of Kitimat and the Haisla Nation in Kitamaat Village.
Since the program began in 2019, the fire danger rating scale in our region has risen, making wildfires on our landscapes a very real threat to our community. FireSmart also emphasizes emergency preparedness in other areas of life. As we prepare our homes, we also need to prepare emergency “grab-and-go” bags in case our homes can’t be defended. Wildfires are the new normal in our province, and as citizens, we must prepare for self-reliance. By leveraging guidance from interagency partners such as BC Wildfire Services, FireSmart tailors its approach to address the unique challenges and natural landscape of our Northwest climate, ensuring relevant and effective wildfire preparedness for our community.
Additional FireSmart Resources
Email: firesmart@kitimat.ca
About the FireSmart™ program:
FireSmart™ Canada is a program of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. The program is focused on reducing the wildfire risk to property, infrastructure, and public safety. FireSmart Canada leads the development of resources and programs designed to empower the public and increase neighbourhood resilience to wildfire across Canada.
Within FireSmart Canada, British Columbia has their own program. FireSmart British Columbia allows communities within BC to be educated on the FireSmart disciplines for their own neighbourhoods. The FireSmart program focuses on seven disciplines to help address the threat of wildfires which include education, vegetation management, legislation and planning, development considerations, interagency cooperation and cross-training emergency planning. Together, these disciplines create a framework for how FireSmart addresses wildfires at home, in our communities, and at provincial levels.
| Education |
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Raising awareness of wildfire risks and teaching about prevention and mitigation. When it comes to being FireSmart, education is everything. From landscaping best practices to fire-resilient building materials, learning what you can do today to protect against wildfires can save homes and lives tomorrow. To learn more, click here. |
| Vegetation Management |
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One of the key ways to mitigate wildfire threats is to manage vegetation on properties in fire-prone areas. Managing these fuels on the landscape by using the best available science is key to reducing community wildfire vulnerability. To learn more, click here. |
| Legislation and Planning |
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Wildfire prevention is a community effort. It starts with proven FireSmart practices for land-planning and building legislation that focuses on fire safety. This includes the development of policy and legislation related to: forestry management practices; integrated land use planning; compliance and enforcement programs; and legal orders. To learn more, click here. |
| Development Considerations |
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Whether in the design stage, building, or performing renovations, there are many ways land use planning and development standards can help protect homes and communities from wildfires. Effective local government land use planning can support community wildfire resiliency and infrastructure survivability. To learn more, click here |
| Interagency Cooperation |
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FireSmart is a shared responsibility, which means it relies on strong and lasting partnerships. Promoting collaboration between agencies and across different levels of government will better support community wildfire preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery. To learn more, click here |
| Cross-training |
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There are two kinds of firefighters: wildfire and structural. Many other local resources may also be involved in managing a wildfire incident. When firefighters are cross-trained, response capabilities are improved, and communities are safer. To learn more, click here |
| Emergency Planning |
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It takes everyone from firefighters to government representatives to homeowners to have the best-laid plans in a worst-case scenario. Encouraging emergency planning by combining local knowledge with expertise in wildfire management helps communities become better prepared in responding to and recovering from wildfires.
To learn more, click here |
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