By Roy L Hales
The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) is seeking a Union of BC Municipalities grant to decrease the wildfire threat to community buildings.
The proposal
The associated staff report contains written endorsements from the village of Zeballos and South Quadra Island Island Fire Protection District.
By the time SRD Protective services Coordinator Shaun Koopman explained his proposal to the Board, the Cortes Island Firefighting Association sent their endorsement and the village of Gold River expressed interest.
“The Regional District recently obtained over $200,000 for wildfire risk reduction. What you see before you is my request to apply for another wildfire risk reduction grant, for about twice that amount. The focus of this grant is to reduce the vulnerability of our critical infrastructure tfrom being destroyed or damaged during a wildfire,” said Koopman.
Proposed projects include:
- a wildfire fuel treatment on 4 hectares of Crown Land adjacent to the Cortes Island Recycling Centre
- The land surrounding Gorge Hall, the Whaletown Firehall and Linnaea Farm education building on Cortes Island.
- The Bible Church and Camp Homewood properties on Quadra Island.
- There are also projects in Sayward, Zeballos and the Nuchaltaht Nation.
The board approved this application, which is now being sent to the Union of BC Municipalities.
Links of Interest
- (SRD) Staff report and grant application
- (Cortes Currents) articles mentioning Shaun Koopman
- (Cortes Currents)Wildfires on Cortes Island
- (Cortes Currents) Wildfires on Quadra Island
- (Cortes Currents) Cortes Island Community Wildfire Protection Plan (which is being updated)
- (Cortes Currents) Quadra Island Community Wildfire Protection Plan (which is being updated)
- (SRD) Sayward Valley Community Wildfire Plan
- (SRD) Nuchatlaht First Nation Community Wildfire Plan
- (SRD) Village of Gold River Community Wildfire Plan
- (SRD) Village of Sayward Community Wildfire Plan
- (SRD) Village of Tahsis Community WIldfire Plan
- (SRD) Zeballos Community Wildfire Plan