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EnvironmentForestFires20TuesdayMay72013May5to11isNationalEmergencyPreparednessWeek.Beingpreparedforanemergencyiseveryonesresponsibilitystartingwiththeindividual.Havinganemergencyplankeepingyourbelongingssafelystoredoutofharmswayandprotectingyourpropertywithinsuranceareallkeystepsthatyoucantaketoensureyouandyourfamilyareprepared.WeatherforecastsareanimportanttoolintheNorthtohelpyouanticipateandplanforweatherconditions.EnvironmentCanadaprovidesthelatestweatherforecastsontheirwebsiteandthroughtheweatherradioservice.Formoreinformationandresourcesaboutemergencypreparednesspleasevisitwww.maca.gov.nt.ca.RobertC.McLeodMinisterMunicipalandCommunityAffairsByRENEFRANCOEURAnewFireSmarttrainingprogramdesignedtoencouragecitizengroupstoreprooftheirneighbourhoodshaskickedoffacrossCanadawiththerstworkshopstakingplaceintheNorthwestTerritories.Over30firemarshalsemergencyserviceperson-nelcommunityplannersandeldersfromacrosstheNWTgatheredatAuroraCollegesThebachacam-pusinFortSmithlastweekforatwo-dayworkshoponhowtobecomeinvolvedintheCommunityRecognitionProgramandsafeguardtheirhomesfromwildres.FortSmithisaretownsoitisagoodplacetostartsaidDonMortimeraBCwildreconsultantwholedtheworkshopwithcolleagueAlanWesthaver.WehavemoreworkshopsplannedforSaskatchewanandOntariolaterthisyear...Thisprogramhasbeenrunninginover1000communitiesintheUnitedStatesanditsbeensuccessful.Workshopparticipantsarecertifiedtogobacktotheircommunitiesandgivehalf-dayinformationalses-sionsteachingothershowtotakepreventiveactionsandprepareforwildfiresbeforetheyoccur.Thesemeasuresincluderemov-ingexcessvegetationalongroadsstoringfirewoodwellawayfromthehouseusingnon-flammableroof-ingmaterialsandplantingdeciduoustreesandshrubsnotevergreensnearthehomeasthelatterburnmorefiercely.TheworkshoppresentedbyPartnersinProtectionanAlberta-basedcoali-tiondedicatedtoprovid-inginformationtoreducetheriskofwildfirelossesalsodemonstratedhowcommunitiescanobtainanofficialFireSmartrec-ognitionstatusbymeetingcertaincriteria.Interestedcommuni-tiescansponsoralocalFireSmartboardtomain-taintheFireSmartcommu-nityplanconductyearlyFireSmarteventsandin-vestaminimumof2an-nuallypercapitainlocalFireSmartcommunityefforts.ItsimportanttonotetoothatFortSmithcouldhavethreeorveoftheseprogramsrunning.Itsnotjustoneprogrampercom-munity.Itsmoreofaneigh-bourhoodthingthanatownthingMortimersaid.InFortSmiththereisal-readyanactiveFireSmartCommittee.Afewyearsagowedidanumberoffuelmodifi-cationsintheAxeHandleHillareaWesSteedFortSmithsFireSmartcoordina-torsaid.TheresalsogreatNewCanadianFireSmartprogramdebutsinNWTco-operationherebetweenthelocalredepartmentandENRwhichisapartofFireSmartandthetownbudgetsforFireSmartwork-akeystep-butthereismorewecando.BecomingaFireSmart-recognizedcommunityhashugebenefitsMortimersaidsuchascreatingade-fensiblespacetopreventresandwind-drivenem-bersfromfatallydamaginghomesandimprovingprop-ertyvaluewhilereducingtheriskofloss.Itsnotamatterofifbutwhenformanycommuni-tiessurroundedbyborealforestssuchasFortSmithhesaid.Theprogramspeakstoaneducationalgapinthena-tionalFireSmartprogramestablishedinthe1990s.WhilelocalgovernmentsandredepartmentstookadvantageoftheprogramprivatelandownerswerenotaseasytogetonboardMortimersaid.WevebeenfailingtogetpeopletoFireSmarttheirhomesandyards.Thegovernmentcanonlyspendgovernmentmoneyongov-ernmentlandMortimersaid.Eventhoughtheresgoodgovernmentprogramsdoingfueltreatmentaroundcommunitiesandefcientredepartmentswithup-datedinformationandequipmenttheweakspothasbeenonprivateland.Sothisisanewwaytogetthemessagedowntoin-dividualhomeownersandneighbourhoods.Theoverallobjectiveistohavethewildrepassthroughandbemanagedwithoutthedisasterheadded.Thedisasterpartisalmostalwayspreventable.PhotosReneFrancoeurDonMortimerrightaBCwildreconsultantsharessomeFireSmarttipswithWesSteedFireSmartcoordinatorinFortSmith.WildreconsultantAlanWesthaverexplainshowacommu-nitycanbecomeofciallyrecognizedasFireSmartduringanewCanadianworkshopthatkickedoffinFortSmith.