Wildfire Protection Systems

Yesterday we had the opportunity to take part in the Save Blind Bay community meeting, and one thing really stood out to me.

Throughout the afternoon, a number of homeowners stopped by our table with great questions, concerns about their own properties, and a genuine interest in understanding what they can do to better prepare for wildfire.

Those conversations are exactly why events like this matter.

I spent 11 years with the local fire department and about nine years working in structure protection, both with private companies and through the regional district. One thing that experience has taught me is that there is rarely a single answer when it comes to protecting a home from wildfire.

Every property is different.

The home itself, surrounding vegetation, terrain, access, water supply, construction materials, and neighbouring properties can all influence how wildfire may impact a structure.

That’s why wildfire protection needs to be layered.

Defensible space.
FireSmart practices.
Home hardening.
Vegetation management.
Reliable water supply.
Structure protection systems.
Training and planning.

What I also appreciated about the event was hearing similar messages from professionals with very different areas of expertise.

Whether the conversation was about insurance, trees, FireSmart, or sprinkler systems, the common theme was the same:

Preparation needs to happen before the emergency.

And that was reflected in the questions homeowners were asking us:

Where do I start?
What vulnerabilities should I be looking for around my home?
What should I be doing now instead of waiting until there is a fire nearby?
How can I get my neighbours involved?

Those are exactly the conversations we want to be having.

We can’t control where the next wildfire starts or exactly how it behaves, but homeowners and communities can take meaningful steps to reduce vulnerabilities, improve preparedness, and build resilience before the next wildfire arrives.

Thank you to the organizers, the other businesses and professionals who took part, and everyone who stopped by our table to ask questions and share their experiences.

Wildfire resilience starts long before wildfire arrives.

Prevent. Protect. Defend.

The CSRD continues to support our neighbours around the province by sending crews and equipment to assist with wildfire response. Currently the CSRD has nine teams working on fires in BC.

➡️ The CSRD always balances resource requests with the need to keep local crews and equipment here to ensure appropriate levels of fire protection for our residents. With more than 400 CSRD firefighters and almost 70 apparatus, we are able to maintain solid service levels at all times.

At the request of BC wildfire, this crew and trailer is headed to the Big Bar Complex in Clinton. The crew from L-R:
🚒 Kaeden Cundiff (Shuswap),
🚒 Tony Smith (White Lake),
🚒 John Galbraith (Scotch Creek / Lee Creek)
🚒 Keesha Friesen (White Lake)
🚒 Mike Engholm (Scotch Creek / Lee Creek)

This crew recently returned from the Big Bar Complex. After completing a 14-day deployment last weekend, they just finished their mandatory 72-hour rest period and are returning for another 14 day deployment.

We thank them, and all the crews out there working so hard to help others. Stay safe out there!

Wildfire preparedness at a community scale.

In 2025, we outfitted over 100 homes on Xwísten land near Lillooet, BC with our Homeowner Quick-Deploy System.

Each home received two rooftop sprinklers, each with its own 25' forestry hose pre-connected and stored in a UV-resistant Quick-Deploy Bag. The idea is simple: have structure-protection equipment already in place, ready to deploy quickly when it’s needed.

We returned this spring to test the systems, check operation and make sure everything was ready for another wildfire season.
Projects like this are about more than sprinklers—they’re about giving an entire community another layer of preparedness before an emergency begins.

Prevent • Protect • Defend

LillooetBC BCWildfire RooftopSprinklers CommunityPreparedness

This is why timing matters.
Morning and evening usually mean cooler temperatures, lighter winds and better water absorption.

Always Ready

Working in high winds

Slowed down for your enjoyment.

Coverage beyond the home .

During a wildfire, crews may have hundreds—or thousands—of structures to assess with limited time and resources.

That process is called structure triage. Crews evaluate factors such as access, surrounding fuels, building construction, available water, escape routes and expected fire behaviour.

The goal isn’t to decide whose home matters. It’s to determine where firefighters can work safely and where their efforts have the greatest chance of success.

Seeing “Non-defendable” attached to a property is difficult, but it doesn’t necessarily mean nothing can be done. In some cases, crews may still have time to prepare the property and leave before conditions become unsafe. Pre-installed rooftop sprinklers can give them something that is ready to connect and activate instead of requiring another system to be carried in and installed.

This is also why homeowners shouldn’t wait until evacuation to begin preparing. Removing combustible debris, maintaining the non-combustible zone, improving access, hardening vulnerable areas and having equipment pre-deployed can all influence how a property performs—and how safely crews can work around it.

We can’t control every wildfire condition. But we can give our homes and firefighters a better starting point.

Prevent • Protect • Defend

BCWildfire