Award Winning
Service Provider
Action Tree Service, Provider of Kelowna’s Award Winning FireSmart Community Chipping Program
Back in September of last year, the City of Kelowna received the 2023 Climate and Energy Action Award in the Community Planning and Development category from the Community Energy Association. Kelowna’s fire smart community chipping program is a curbside removal and chipping program where highly flammable plant and shrub materials are removed at no charge. This program was part of Kelowna’s fire smart landscaping initiative. A program was put in place to help people in Kelowna make informed choices about how to manage their lawns and gardens to increase wildfire resilience.
Fire Resilient Landscaping in Kelowna
Certain plants and shrubs are fuel for wildfires. Having this plate material on your property allows wildfires to quickly spread across properties, including homes and buildings. During Wildfire season, Kelowna promotes the execution of fire smart landscaping practices throughout its communities. Removal of highly flammable plant and shrub materials significantly helps prevent the spread of fire.
Due to the area’s dry climate and vegetation in Kelowna, wildfires can spread quickly through the community. As embers carried by wind ignite surrounding flammable materials, such as dry grasses and shrubs, fires can quickly escalate, posing a significant threat to homes and properties. Following BC’s Fire Smart landscaping guide, which recommends reducing the buildup of flammable debris, can slow the spread of wildfires and protect communities like Kelowna from devastation.
High Risk Materials That Were Removed
Cedar, Juniper, Mugo Pine, Conifer branes, and prunings of spruce, fir, and pine were all eligible for collection through the community chipping program. From April to July 2022, the FireSmart Community Chipping Pilot program was carried out with Action Tree Service as the service provider. During the pilot program, nearly 100 metric tons of hazardous debris from over 250 private properties across the city were removed. It was this successful clean up of wildfire fuel across the city that earned the recognition.
Top Quality Community Engagement
Collecting, chipping, and disposing of nearly 100 metric tons of material is no easy undertaking. The judges awarding Kelowna the 2023 Climate and Energy Action Award praised the city for its quality of engagement with the community. This praise is a reflection of the capability, dedication, and service provided to the city by the team at Action Tree Service. Action Tree has always been dedicated to the City of Kelowna, and its involvement in the Fire Smart Chipping program was a great opportunity to show just how dedicated it is.