Firesmart landscaping
Any Tree Anywhere.
Fully Insured ISA Certified Arborists
We are locally owned and operated with the region’s largest fleet of lot clearing and tree removal equipment in Kelowna BC. Contact us for to help make your property FireSmart.
What is FireSmart BC?
In British Columbia, wildfires are a regular occurrence that are caused by hot, dry weather. In recent years, a number of variables, including extended dry spells as well as human activities, have contributed to an increase in the number and severity of wildfires in BC.
The province has a sophisticated system in place for keeping track of and controlling wildfires. This system allows the province to try to manage and contain wildfires to lessen their impact on infrastructure, ecosystems, and communities.
To increase wildfire resiliency in British Columbia, the province has created the FireSmart™ BC initiative. FireSmart™ is intended for everyone, from homeowners to emergency responders. The goal of the FireSmart™ movement is for everyone throughout the province to be better prepared and to minimise the negative impacts caused by wildfires.
Kelowna and The Risk of Wildfires
Many cities in British Columbia have homes that are in or on the boundary of wildland areas known as the wildland/urban interface. In the city of Kelowna, West Kelowna, and all throughout the Okanagan, there are many homes that border heavily forested areas. This, along with the exceptionally hot summers, creates a potential risk in Kelowna for wildfires to negatively impact residences and businesses. Every summer, wildfires have historically threatened the area around Kelowna. In 2003, a lightning strike started the Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park fire, which spread to burn 25,912 hectares and destroyed 239 buildings. More recently, in August 2023, the McDougall Creek Wildfire grew to over 13,500 hectares in size, and at least 35,000 people were under evacuation orders.
How Wildfires Spread
Embers are burning debris that can be blown by the wind up to two kilometres ahead of a wildfire. Embers can be hot enough to ignite vegetation near your home. Vegetation, such as coniferous trees or dry brush, is highly flammable and susceptible to catching fire when exposed to burning embers.
Prepare Your Property
Thinning out dense stands of trees and shrubs reduces the density of vegetation and creates greater spacing between plants. Coniferous, dead, or dry trees are fuel for wildfires. Removing trees in the ignition zones around your home reduces a fire’s fuel and its ability to spread.
Prune Dead Tree Limbs and Ladder Fuel
Regular tree pruning is also beneficial for fire prevention. Regularly having your trees pruned removes dead branches that can spread a fire. Pruning can also be done to remove ladder fuel. Ladder fuels are lower branches on trees that can carry fire up into the canopy, which reduces the vertical spread of fire.
Removing Dangerous Trees to Prevent Wildfire Spread
Creating a firebreak around your home is another good method of fire prevention. A firebreak is a gap in vegetation that can slow or stop a wildfire. Lot clearing and tree removal are done to make a clear space around your home that is free of the fuels that allow wildfires to spread. At Action Tree Service, our team can provide lot clearing and dangerous tree removal services to create a firebreak around your home.
Fire Smart Tree Services from Action Tree
Action Tree Service is locally owned and operated and has been in Kelowna for well over two decades. Action Tree has been with the community of Kelowna through many of the threats and devastation caused by the BC wildfires. There is a passion within the team at Action Tree Services to work to create a safer community and help prevent the spread of wildfires.
Tree pruning, lot clearing, and dangerous tree removal services are great ways for property owners to make their properties fire-safe. Action Tree is the only tree removal service that employs mobile cranes to remove hazardous trees. This service is great for safely removing trees that are close to buildings.
Being fire smart is important for everyone in Kelowna and the Okanagan. Contact Action Tree today to get a property assessment and make your landscape resistant to the spread of wildfires.