Wildfire study flags 'substantive' risk in the city
Federally funded assessment comes on the heels of a record-breaking wildfire season
MIRAMICHI - A federally funded wildfire risk assessment for the City of Miramichi has identified “substantive” hazard levels in the municipality, according to the consultant leading the study.
At the March 3 council-in-committee meeting, Emergency Solutions International founder and CEO Mark Gillan said there’s a “tremendous” fire fuel load in and around the community from wooded areas, and the city has “a fair amount” of dead-end streets 110 metres long or shorter. He said spot fires emerging a few kilometres ahead of wildfires are also a concern.
Gillan presented council with 30 recommendations for the city to consider as it balances community risk with other priorities and resource availability.
“It’s important that we take a holistic approach to mitigating the risks in your community,” said Gillan, a former Saint John fire chief with more than 40 years’ experience in the fire service. “There’s a substantive amount of risk in the community if you look at where the fuel load is in relation to target hazards.
“The goal is for people to be aware of these risks and consider ways to mitigate them at the residential level and the owner-operator level. The FireSmart approach to building resilience engages the community. We need to have an understanding of risk and be able to quantify it to motivate folks to take action.”
