We held our Wildfire Preparedness Day on May 18th, 2024 using one of the properties on Piers Island as a "poster child" for creating a FireSmart difference.  This property had an assessment done in 2023 and the owners took it to heart and did an amazing amount of work towards FireSmart'ing their property.  Our presentation to the public showed the differences and proposed a Learning Work Bee and BBQ in June.   31 people attended the May 18th presentation and 33 attended the Work Bee in June.  We worked with the homeowner on a landscape plan based on some materials already onsite and left behind by the previous owner.  We took FireSmart principals and some landscaping ideas and worked together to make it happen and had a wonderful BBQ for the volunteers.  Pictures speak louder than words - so check them all out. 

We hope you'll keep an eye out on our Projects Page for some #FireSmart inspiration.  We've got the thinking caps on for 2025!

After a long hot dry summer, with little chance for windfall and FireSmart trimming removal, a chipper down, it was hallelujah time when on October 18th we offered a freebie #FireSmart Wildfire Prep Day to take it all away.  Volunteers were treated to a fabulous Eggs benny lunch prepared by our Island chefs.   It was a rally round the wagons, stack and haul to the community burn pile!  
#FireSmartBC #WildfirePrep #community

In spring 2023 we invited Islanders to have a FireSmart Assessment done on their property.  Everyone who participated was entered into a draw to have a FireSmart work bee at their property, sponsored by FireSmart and PIVFD.  Over the spring and summer many assessments were completed with the final draw being held at the PIVFD Pancake Breakfast in September.  Our winner was ecstatic!  Weather and travel resulted in a wait until November 22, 2023 to complete the job.

Our homeowner welcomed us with open arms and was amazed at what our group of fellow Islanders accomplished in 2 1/2 hours.  

We hope that this project inspires more neighbour helping neighbour FireSmart projects not only on Piers Island, but throughout the FireSmart community.  Things happen in life that can become overwhelming to deal with and having a group swoop in and help can lift spirits, energize and make your community just a little more fire safe through FireSmart.
#FireSmartBC #firesmartcanada #WildfirePrepDay #IamFireSmart

PIVFD has just completed a new project on Piers Island with funding provided by a UBCM grant.  We applied in October 2022 and received approval for funding and our project in February 2023.  We've put together the details and information so that we can share this with other communities.   If you are a small coastal community or lakefront community you may find these solutions would work for you.  We worked on way to augment water supplies from natural sources and have a limited number of trained people to work with.  

The slide show above is available in pdf format for you as well. 

Using salt water is an incredible resource, however is it corrosive to the equipment if it is not properly flushed after use.  We recommend using fresh water sources for practice with the knowledge you can use the equipment in salt water in an emergency. 

#wildfireresilience #coastalcommunities #volunteerfirefighters #smallcommunity #firefighting #wildfire 

In our previous post we showed you how a group of volunteers could help to reduce significant fuel load with chipping.  This accumulation had some wood and debris that was beyond chippable so the group decided to return and with do a controlled burn to remove the last of the fuel load, which was still significant and piled underneath hydro lines.  Many hands make light work and 2 controlled burn areas were used.  Homeowners rewarded volunteers with a BBQ and treats.  #FireSmart #IAmFireSmart

The Piers Island FireSmart board and the local FireSmart representative will be working to foster more of this type of volunteerism/homeowner partnership for FireSmart work in 2023.   

This was our third FireSmart event this year and we wanted to get our hands dirty this time!  We asked volunteers to gather at a property and we conducted an assessment together using the FireSmart Begins at Home App
The app is easy to use and gives you suggestions where you could use some improvement.  It is also available in an Android version. 
We tackled fuel load reduction and brought in a chipper to deal with as much of the debris as we could.  This pile had been accumulating for many, many years and we will return to burn the rest when conditions are safe. 

We identified a high risk problem and worked together to improve the situation.  We all realized that there are many locations where a FireSmart work party can help out an overwhelmed homeowner.  We'll be working on a new program - Host a FireSmart Event!  

After a great morning workout, we moved to the firehall for Piers Island Emergency Program's presentations on Grab and Go bags, water purification as well as updated Emergency contact information for residents.  They held a fabulous prize draw afterward and the winners were Grab and Go Bags - Pauline O. and John Dick (Eckman family); Power banks - Rick S., Melissa (Siska family) and Monique J.; Crank radios - Chany (de Jong family), Derek M.; Vehicle kit - Jeff N.    We all enjoyed pizza from 900 Degrees Bistro hosted by PIVFD.    

And here's how it all came together! 

Our first event for 2022 was held on April 9th and was mask free!  Woohoo!  What a wonderful feeling to gather in person and share information.  Your community might be like ours in that we have a lot of community lands and we do not have a government entity to take care of those lands.  We need to do it ourselves through volunteer labour.   We focused on mowing and efforts we need to be making to keep those shared lands mowed by expanding our volunteer pool.   The PIVFD also had a chance to show off our wildfire resiliency equipment and explain the benefits of dock pumps and roof style sprinkler protection.  
Our small island has about 130 properties and 43 people attended the event. :)

Keep checking back, we have a new FireSmart Event coming up in May showcasing our FireSmart Landscaping expertise on Piers.  We have 2 Master Gardeners on Piers Island - Brent Schorr who consulted on the new BC FireSmart Landscaping Guide and Vicki Morrison who works at Russell Nursery nearby in North Saanich.  Vicki keeps herself up to date on the best FireSmart plants for your properties. 

#IAmFireSmart  #FireSmartBC #PiersIsland

During the height of COVID, several parents decided to home school their children on Piers with the assistance of one amazing professional teacher Christina van der Kamp.  Christina came to our Local FireSmart Representatives and asked if there was a way we could incorporate some FireSmart teaching into a portion of the schooling for the kids.  Low and behold we found an amazing program and teaching tools put together by BC FireSmart, Lesser Slave Lake Education Society and Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory.  Download Here 

The link will give you the course material but there is also a kit available for purchase or check for a loan from a fire base near you.  We were able to borrow one from Cobble Hill Fire Base and extended our teachings over a three week period.  It's a wonderful kit, the kids had fun and learned a lot.  Their parents were quick to tell us that their children's learnings were taken home and shared! :)

A recent campaign launched by Captain John Hall of PIVFD saw a bulk order and purchase of 50 fire extinguishers by Piers Island homeowners.  Extinguishers at the ready on boats, golf carts and homes will help quickly stop the threat of fire if extinguished in the early stage.  Still call 911 - but we've now got 50 more extinguishers ready to be used on Piers.  As an added bonus, we gave out stickers to put on golf carts to let people know there was one on board and available!  Piers delivery is always a little more difficult...car, boat, golf cart...
Thanks to John Hall, Terry Swan and Kerry Keats for getting it done.