BC faced its most devastating wildfire season in 2023, driven partly by unprecedented drought that swept across the province.
 
The record-breaking fire season destroyed 400 structures forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes.
 
Despite some smoky skies, Sooke largely avoided the impacts of the 2023 wildfire season, but local officials remain watchful.
 
A new report, the Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP), is emerging as a vital document for Sooke as it begins making plans for the 2024 wildfire season.
 
Sooke council unanimously accepted the CWRP, replacing the 2011 Community Wildfire Protection Plan, at a recent meeting.
 
B.A. Blackwell & Associates crafted the CWRP in collaboration with stakeholders and district staff.
 
The plan presents 41 recommendations to enhance the community's resilience against wildfires.
 
Key recommendations include maintaining funding for a full-time FireSmart coordinator position and launching an extensive FireSmart public education campaign.
 
In a presentation to the council, Louis Orieux, a forester and consultant with B.A. Blackwell & Associates stressed the significance of education in a community with a high concentration of private property.
 
"FireSmart homes can withstand high-intensity fires, whereas properties highly susceptible to ignition, along with the surrounding vegetation, may succumb to lower-intensity fires," Orieux said.
 
The CWRP also calls for updates to the fire services provision bylaw, the development of a FireSmart landscaping bylaw, and the creation of a wildfire development permit area.
 
It promotes stronger interagency cooperation, revising the fire service agreement with T'Sou-ke Nation and formulating an emergency response and business continuity plan.
 
In 2022, the district received $139,383 from the Union of BC Municipalities to launch a local Fire Smart program.
 
The district is awaiting approval on its latest grant application for $200,000.
 
The plan identifies areas needing fuel management treatments, prioritizing high-traffic municipal parks infested with invasive plants like Scotch broom and Himalayan blackberry.
 
Orieux cautioned that wildfires could reach any part of Sooke, as embers, some as large as dinner plates, can travel over six kilometres.
 
Sooke councillor Al Beddows said the public's awareness of the significant summer wildfires underscores the need for immediate action and change.
 
"The report couldn't have come at a better time. If people are open to change, the time to act is now. Disseminating this information to the public could save us from substantial future hardship," Beddows said.
 
Fire Chief Ted Ruiter said the CWRP provides a critical guide to help prioritize resources, pointing out that numerous recommendations are already underway through the district's FireSmart program.
 
"One of the challenges for Sooke is that there is a significant amount of privately owned land that poses a threat to Sooke from a wildfire risk perspective. Education is key and fuel management is a big undertaking," he said.
 
"We need to secure more funding and work with the community to most effectively support our local wildfire resiliency."
 
Kevin Liard.