A new bylaw strives to make the most populous electoral area of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) more resilient to wildfires.
At the July 27 SLRD board meeting, a New Wildfire Protection Development Permit Area (DPA) was adopted for Electoral Area C, encompassing the region from WedgeWoods to the Pemberton Meadows and D’arcy. Area C is the only remaining electoral area in the SLRD not covered by a wildfire protection DPA, and it had been staff's intention for some time to get one adopted, according to a report presented to SLRD at the meeting.
The bylaw aims to ensure new developments in Electoral Area C are constructed to minimize wildfire hazards and contribute to the wider fire safety of neighbourhoods and communities.
The development permit area creates new requirements for building properties and is designed to make the region more wildfire resilient.
Some new criteria adopted include requiring new buildings to have non-combustible roofing materials that conform to Class A or Class B fire resistance, as referenced in the BC Building Code. Examples of this include metal, asphalt, clay and composite rubber tiles.
In addition to the roof requirements, the new DPA requires two or more measures as identified in the BC FireSmart Homeowners Manual and BC Building Code to gain development approval for all areas outside of WedgeWoods. At WedgeWoods, in turn, all wildfire protections measures are required.
Some examples of this include creating a non-combustible zone surrounding a property—implementing fire-resistant landscaping, building structures with non-combustible siding and fire-resistant windows, installing spark arrestors on chimneys, and creating landscaping plans.
For zoning amendment applications involving the subdivision of 10 or more parcels, a fire protection plan prepared by a qualified professional may be requested by the SLRD. These protection plans should address safe access, evacuation routes, fire hydrant locations, and fuel management.
The regional district recommends that property owners do FireSmart assessments for their properties. You can learn more about how to sign up for an assessment here.
