FireSmart Community Funding and Supports

The FireSmart Community Funding & Supports program provides funding to local governments and First Nations in BC to increase community resiliency by undertaking community-based FireSmart planning and activities that reduce the community’s risk from wildfire. The First Nations’ Emergency Services Society (FNESS), the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) and the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) are working with the Ministry of Forests (Ministry) to deliver the FireSmart Community Funding & Supports program.

 

 

First Nations and local governments with a higher risk of wildfire, generally demonstrated by Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Risk Class 1 to 3, that have a FireSmart Position, participate in a Community FireSmart and  Resiliency Committee and have an acceptable Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP)/Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) are eligible to receive FireSmart Community Funding and Supports funding for FireSmart activities only through the allocation-based program. See the website for more details.

 

New in 2024 - Base funding is scaled to offer eligible applicants with lower risk of wildfire, generally 
demonstrated by WUI Risk Class 4 and 5, to apply for up to $100,000 per year (for up to two years), and 
applicants with a higher risk of wildfire, generally demonstrated by WUI Risk Class 1 to 3, to apply for up to 
$200,000 per year (for up to two years). Information on determining risk is provided in Appendix 2 of the Application Guide.
 

All First Nations (bands, Treaty First Nations, and Indigenous National Governments with authority for lands 
and resources) and local governments (municipalities and regional districts) in BC are eligible to apply.

In order to ensure transparency and accountability in the expenditure of public funds, all other financial contributions for eligible portions of the project must be declared and, depending on the total value, may decrease the value of the grant. This includes any other grant funding and any revenue (e.g. sale of forest products) that is generated from activities that are funded by the FireSmart Community Funding & Supports program. 

To be eligible for funding, applications must demonstrate that proposed activities will increase community resiliency by undertaking community-based FireSmart planning and activities that reduce the community’s risk from wildfire. 

 

New in 2024 – To qualify for funding, all applicants are required to have a FireSmart Position, participate in a Community FireSmart and Resiliency Committee and have an acceptable CWRP/CWPP. 

The program is structured to fund FireSmart activities in eligible communities throughout BC. Base funding is scaled to offer eligible applicants with lower risk of wildfire, generally demonstrated by Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Risk Class 4 and 5, to apply for up to $100,000 per application, and applicants with a higher risk of wildfire, generally demonstrated by WUI Risk Class 1 to 3, to apply for up to $200,000 per application. Please consult the application guide for more information on determining risk.

Applicants with phased fuel management projects are required to submit an interim report before fuel management treatments commence, including the following: Copy of the fuel management prescription that is signed by a Registered Forest Professional including all ancillary assessments, Copy of the Burn Plan that is signed by the qualified professional (for prescribed fire only). Confirmation that First Nations information sharing has been completed (for Crown land only), Maps and spatial data as required.

 

Eligible applicants can submit one application per intake, including regional applications or participation as a sub-applicant in a regional application.