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FireSmart, Intelli-feu and other associated Marks are trademarks of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

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Who We Are

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What We Do

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Who has seen a wildfire?

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What is a wildfire?

What is fire?

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What is a wildfire?

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Is wildfire good or bad?

Show of hands: How many people think that wildfire is bad? Show of hands: How many people think that wildfire is good?

Wildfire (or bushfire like in the video) is a general term which includes forest fires, grassland fires, and any other vegetation fire in the natural environment.

Now we all know that fires can be very dangerous. A fire that gets out of control can cause serious harm and damage.

But did you know that wildfire is a natural phenomenon?

A natural phenomenon means that it’s part of nature. That means that natural landscapes and plant life that surround us, all over British Columbia, were shaped by fire.

Wildfire has been around on the planet for a very long time. In fact, it's been around much much longer than we humans have. It’s actually older than dinosaurs!

And wildfire is something that is needed for a healthy forest to grow. It’s as much a part of nature as sunshine or wind or rain.

Historically and currently, Indigenous people in BC have used fire to increase forest health, protect themselves from ticks, create more food for themselves and for animals.

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How many wildfires are there each year in BC?

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Why do we fight wildfire?

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What do we see?

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What is FireSmart?

Does anyone live close to a forest? What about close to a park? Do you have trees or bushes around your home? Many of us do, so it’s important to understand how wildfires spread.

Wildfires throw off bits of burning wood called embers (just like in a campfire). Those embers can collect around buildings and start new fires in towns.

Having our homes and community prepared for wildfires like this is called being FireSmart. What exactly is FireSmart?

Just like how we wear helmets when we ride our bikes or wear sunscreen to protect our skin from the sun, Firesmart is a set of actions we can take to protect ourselves and our homes and the environment from the danger of wildfires. When we FireSmart our home, we make it hard for embers to collect and start new fires.

What are some actions we can do around our home to make them safer? (Take 2-3 answers)

We are now going to watch a short video where our friend, Ember, will show us some actions we can take to make our homes safer.

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What are some reasons that wildfires might start?

What type of materials did Ember help remove from the home to make it more FireSmart?

What helpful actions did Ember do?

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What You Can Do to Help?

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Home Assessment

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Shhhhh….

Let’s try and call Ember out of her den.

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Thank you for listening!