Wildfire Development Permit Area

Living near the great outdoors comes with great responsibility. Wildfires are a reality of living amongst our region’s rural, natural beauty, and it’s our job to ensure we are doing our part to protect our natural environment, people and property from the potential negative impacts of wildfires.

Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) identify many areas within the Regional District of the Central Kootenay (RDCK) as having moderate-high to high-extreme wildfire threat/probability. The RDCK is looking at how to help protect our region from wildfire hazards.

Making our homes and properties FireSmart is a great place to start, but what else can we do to help build wildfire resilience in our communities?

A Wildfire Development Permit Area (DPA) is a key tool that can help reduce wildfire impacts, and has been identified as a high priority item in the CWPPs to address wildfire hazards in the RDCK. The RDCK is exploring the creation of a Wildfire DPA for its eleven Electoral Areas (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J and K).

*NEW* - Community Survey Now Open
A community survey is now live! The RDCK is seeking feedback from community members to better understand their level of support for implementing a Wildfire DPA in their Electoral Area to increase their property’s wildfire resilience. The survey takes about 5 minutes to complete and you will have a chance to win a $200 gift certificate to a local business of your choice.

Fill out the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/RDCKwildfireDPA

The deadline to complete the survey is September 5th. Responses from this survey will help inform the next steps in drafting options for a Wildfire DPA. (If you would like to fill out a paper copy, please contact the RDCK Planning Department.)

What is a Wildfire DPA?
A Wildfire DPA is a set of development policies and guidelines that can help build wildfire resilience by ensuring new development in wildfire interface areas are less susceptible to wildfire hazards.

The RDCK is considering creating a Wildfire DPA to:

  • Reduce the risks associated with wildfire for new development
  • Increase the community’s resilience to wildfire hazards and climate change by reducing wildfire impacts as part of the land development process

For more information, visit our FAQS.

How to Get Involved
Over the course of summer 2022, the RDCK is seeking input from community members to help better understand their level of support and interest in implementing a Wildfire DPA in their Electoral Area.

  • Community Survey: A survey will be open from August 8th to September 5th to collect feedback from community members. Participate in the survey for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate to a local business of your choice!
  • Development Community Workshop: A virtual workshop with members of the development community will be held to collect feedback on the Wildfire DPA project.
  • Landowners and Local Business Workshop: A virtual workshop with landowners and local businesses will be held to collect feedback on the Wildfire DPA project on Wednesday, August 17th at 6:00 PM. By participating in this workshop, you will have a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to a local business of your choice.

Sign-up: RDCK Wildfire Development Permit Area Workshop

  • In-Person FireSmart Pop-Up Events: Wildfire Mitigation Specialists will be hosting a variety of pop-up events throughout the RDCK this summer to provide information on FireSmart initiatives and share information about the Wildfire DPA project. Stay tuned for more details coming soon.

    Are you FireSmart?
    Following FireSmart principles for your property can help reduce the potential impacts of wildfires to your home and others. Learn more about how you can be FireSmart by clicking here.

    Questions?
    Contact Corey Scott, RDCK Planner, at 250-352-8162 or via email at cscott@rdck.bc.ca.

 

The content on this page was last updated August 8 2022 at 8:47 AM

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