If a rapid burning forest fire were to come from the west, residents of Stone Mountain Village would be the first to see it and they’d also likely be the first to watch their homes go up in flames.
On May 2 as part of Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, a group of residents, along with the help of the Jasper Volunteer Fire Brigade, held a work bee, clearing away hazardous trees and tinder from the wooded area behind their condominiums.
About 15 people came out from the neighbourhood, as well as 15 firefighters.
According to Fire Chief Greg Van Tighem, Stone Mountain Village has been in need of a FireSmart clean up for a number of years, so it was good to finally get it done.
The work bee was made possible, in part, by a $500 grant from Partners in Protection, the founders of FireSmart and a nation-wide organization that promotes awareness and education aimed at reducing risks from wildfires.
The grant covered the costs of the barbecue that followed four hours of solid work, said Van Tighem, who made the burger patties himself.
Parks Canada and the municipality donated equipment for the work bee and crews from the fire department lent a hand, chopping down hazardous trees with chainsaws.
The trees were then cut up into smaller pieces, allowing residents to transport them to a municipal dump truck, which was used to cart the wood away.
Van Tighem said the fire department hopes to host a large-scale community work bee this summer, in a central area where residents from all corners of the town can come out and help.
There is also a work bee organized for Lake Edith on July 18.
Last summer, Lake Edith was the first community to be recognized under the FireSmart Canada Community Recognition Program.
The recognition was for residents’ ongoing work to protect the area from forest fires. That work is done by hosting annual work bees to thin out the forest around their homes, reducing the risk of a large forest fire sweeping through and causing major property damage.
To learn more about the FireSmart program, visit www.firesmartcanada.ca.
Nicole Veerman
[email protected]
