If you live in Smithers Rural Area A, Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) director Mark Fisher wants to know if you would be willing to chip in for some wildfire protection.
Fisher is proposing that Protective Services purchase a mobile trailer with several sprinkler systems that can be deployed on homes at the edges of fires to defend rural properties.
The unit would cost approximately $150,000 and Fisher is conducting a survey to find out if residents would pay for it.
“It would be a one-shot deal,” he said. “The approach we’re thinking of taking is not increase the fire protection district’s taxation, just do it as a separate one-off thing.
Fisher thinks there might be an opportunity other funding options, but given the urgency of the approaching wildfire season felt the purchase should go ahead regardless.
“Based on the history of how wildfire is managed in the province, it could potentially get paid back as a loan, but we can’t guarantee that and we can’t guarantee we could get grants for it — that’s the hope — but what I want to know is if all else fails are you still willing to pay $50 or $100 one time?
Fisher believes people will get behind the proposal.
“The higher level mitigation plans and strategies and all that sort of stuff takes so long,” he said. “This is one concrete thing that we know works, it’s very fast if we jump on it now, but the timing is everything on this so I think people realize, let’s pick those relatively inexpensive, low-hanging fruit and just go with it.”