KAMLOOPS - Xeriscaping and FireSmart landscaping on private properties - By Sophie Guilbault

As the crew was developing the Xeriscape program, they were approached by the fire department, which was keen to combine the Xeriscaping approach to a broader FireSmart landscaping strategy for the community and to promote both simultaneously. [...] The brochure developed by the City also examines the types of mulch that should be used around plants and recommends the use of gravel mulch, rock mulch, or a combination of plant mulch and decorative rock mulch to reduce fire risk. [...] The use of fire resilient mulch is important to reduce the risk that burning embers blown by the winds during a fire may bring fire into the community. [...] When asked if the City faced any challenges through the development and promotion of the program, Kirsten Wourms, Natural Resources Crew Leader for the City of Kamloops, mentioned that while the City considers wildfire risk reduction as an important priority, a lot of the actions that can be done to reduce fire risk have to take place at the private property level, which is where the City cannot d. [...] 72 THE OUTCOME The City of Kamloops has only had the opportunity to conduct 50 FireSmart assessments at this point, which makes it challenging to evaluate the uptake rate of the Xeriscaping and FireSmart programs promoted by the City.