Smoky Skies: Building Wildfire Resilience Around Kootenay Lake

Guest: John Cathro, Independent Forester working in Community Wildfire Preparedness

Keywords: Wildfire, Wildland Urban Interface Forestry, Climate Change, Smoke, Air Quality, Wildfire Risk, Risk Mitigation, Fire Suppression, Fuel Load Reduction, Fire Smart, Community Planning, Land-use Planning, Wildfire Preparation, Wildfire Trends, Youth Engagement, Public Education, Community Leadership, Evacuations, 72-Hour Preparedness Kits, Wildfire Preparedness Plans

Topics: A synopsis of the current state of wildfires in the Kootenay Lake area; Wildfire risks in our communities and ecosystems; Wildfire trends over time; Factors that perpetuate wildfire risk; The role climate change plays; Wildfire risk mitigation and adaptation; Firesmarting and how to get started; Fuel load reduction; Community planning and public education. Empowering and involving youth; The role governments and community leaders should be taking on to adequately address these concerns; How residents can prepare for evacuation orders.

Music: "Katabatic Wind" by Wayne Saluti (not available online).

Additional Resources: Cathro Consulting Website: http://cathro.ca/ 

RDCK Fire Smarting resources: http://www.rdck.ca/EN/main/services/emergency-management/wildfires/firesmart.html

Guidelines on preparing for evacuation orders:

Provincial wildfire preparedness guide:  https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-management/preparedbc/know-your-hazards/wildfires 

https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/go-evacuation-guide/pre-evacuation-preparation-steps/

Provincial recommendations for what to pack in your 72-hour emergency preparedness kit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-management/preparedbc/build-an-emergency-kit-and-grab-and-go-bag