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Province rolls out $1.7 million in grants to Prince George Fire Centre

The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako is getting $231,500 in Community Resiliency Investment grants
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(BC Wildfire Service Facebook photo) B.C. Minister of Forests Katrine Conroy said last year’s fire season highlighted the importance of FireSmart activities across the province. (BC Wildfire Service)

B.C. is rolling out more than $1.7 million in grants to 12 local governments and First Nations in the Prince George Fire Centre to support wildfire-risk-reduction initiatives like emergency planning, cross-training, FireSmart activities for critical infrastructure and fuel management.

B.C. Minister of Forests Katrine Conroy said last year’s fire season highlighted the importance of FireSmart activities across the province in advance of the fire season. Conroy also pointed to $90 million in the 2022 budget for community grants that she said will help safeguard homes and communities from wildfire threats. Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness Jennifer Rice said it’s important to give communities the “tools and support they need” to be prepared.

The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako is getting $231,500 in Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) grants. The District of Fort St. James is getting $149,000, Nak’azdli Whut’en First Nation is getting $148,950 and the Tl’azt’en Nation is getting $130,300.

Also in the Prince George Fire Centre, the Peace River Regional District is getting $335,300 while the Regional District of Fraser Fort George and District of Mackenzie receiving $150,000 each. Tsay Keh Dene Nation and West Moberly First Nations are getting $150,000 each.

Doig River First Nation is getting $126,750, the Atlin Community Improvement District is getting $30,080 and the Skin Tyee Band is getting $14,890.

The FireSmart Community Funding and Supports category of the CRI program helps fund initiatives on provincial Crown land and private land. First Nations and local governments can use the money to complete wildfire risk-reduction and prevention activities, including those on public, reserve and private land.

The Union of BC Municipalities administers the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports program. It processes grant applications in partnership with the Ministry of Forests and the First Nations’ Emergency Services Society of British Columbia.

The province is providing a total of $13,047,561 through the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports category of the Community Resiliency Investment program for 107 wildfire-risk-mitigation projects in B.C.

Eligible applicants facing lower wildfire risk can apply for as much as $50,000, while applicants facing demonstrated higher wildfire risk can apply for as much as $150,000.

Communities can apply for funding to cover up to 100 per cent of the cost of their wildfire-risk-reduction projects.

READ MORE: Province of B.C. commits to year-round wildfire service



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