Editor:
The 12-month anniversary of the wildfire that devastated Jasper is a compelling reminder of the potential severity of today’s wildfires and the need to do all that we can to mitigate their impact on communities, including in Canmore and the Bow Valley.
The Municipality of Jasper’s after-action review of the wildfire, published last week, contains important lessons that Canmore council, the Town and residents would do well to consider. Among other things, the review draws attention to “community vulnerabilities,” particularly related to wood shakes on homes and inconsistent levels of FireSmarting by homeowners – vulnerabilities that are as commonplace in Canmore as they are in Jasper.
The review's recommendations call on the Municipality of Jasper to lobby provincial and national partners to review and update building codes to require housing materials that reduce fire spread, considering both flame fronts and ember showers. It also calls on the municipality to explore the possibility of developing a bylaw requiring local industry and homeowners to implement FireSmart principles and practices and evaluate the potential to provide supports or incentives to increase participation.
These are important recommendations, learned the hard way, that would apply equally to Canmore and should be given urgent consideration by Canmore council and the Town.
Simon Bagshaw,
Canmore
