Proposed wildfire hazard regulations designed to reduce the risk to public safety, property and local forests

The District of Squamish is considering a suite of wildfire hazard regulations aimed at reducing community risk to public safety and property from wildfire hazards. A new Wildfire Development Permit Area (DPA) and Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw are scheduled for Council’s consideration of initial readings at the Special Business Meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, September 7. Residents are invited to tune in live at squamish.ca/live-meetings. Limited in person attendance is also permitted subject to public health orders.

“Community resilience and climate adaptation are an important focus for the District. We’ve all witnessed record-breaking heatwaves and seen the devastating impacts that wildfire continues to have on communities located just hours away from Squamish,” says District of Squamish Mayor Karen Ellott. “Wildfire season is unfortunately a reality, and we are not exempt from the threats of extreme heat and climate change. We must reconsider the relationship between the built environment and the forest interface, educate citizens and industry on best practices and work together to implement all aspects our Community Wildfire Protection Plan.” 

The proposed wildfire hazards regulations will work together to ensure new construction and landscaping within the District of Squamish occurs in a manner that minimizes wildfire risk.

Wildfire Development Permit Area

Identified as one of the recommendations in the District's Community Wildfire Protection Plan (updated in 2017), the proposed Wildfire Development Permit Area (DPA) would apply to most lands within the District of Squamish, given the large amount of forested areas and the close proximity of neighbourhoods to these forests. The DPA would require a Development Permit be issued for many forms of development based on a set of guidelines focused on fire-resistant landscaping and building materials, as well as appropriate subdivision design. Some specific development forms such as single-unit residential and duplexes would be exempt provided their design meets basic fire-resistant provisions.

Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw

The proposed Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw is intended to help Squamish residents make smarter, fire-resistant landscaping choices when it comes to planting new trees and shrubs within 10 meters of buildings or structures on their property. The goal of this Bylaw is to ensure all Squamish residents are aware of the significant risk associated with having fire-prone vegetation within close proximity to one's home or building. The Bylaw would be used to educate the community about these risks and provide guidance to support Squamish residents in managing their landscaping to build resiliency as a FireSmart community over the next decade. 

Public Engagement:

Development of the Wildfire DPA and Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw was informed by community engagement including a public survey, virtual open houses and targeted stakeholder engagement with local construction companies, developers, landscapers and arborists. A draft Wildfire DPA Bylaw was presented to the Committee of the Whole on March 23, 2021. Council will consider first and second readings of the Bylaws at Tuesday’s Special Business Meeting. A public hearing will be scheduled for October should the Bylaw readings proceed.

Learn More:

View the draft Wildfire DPA Bylaw No. 2809 here.

View the draft Wildfire DPA map here. 

View the draft Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw No. 2834 here.

View the March 2021 Staff Report including the survey results and public comments here.

Fast Facts:

• The Wildfire DPA applies to most lands within the District of Squamish given the large amount of forested areas, though some exemptions apply. 
• The FireSmart Priority 1 Zone is the area located within the first 10 metres of your home or building. 
• The Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw regulates landscaping within the Priority 1 Zone which is the most critical wildfire hazard area.
• Regulations for new landscaping would prohibit three high-risk plants within the Priority 1 zone: Juniper, cedar and yew.
• The proposed Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw would apply to both new and existing landscaping anywhere within 10 metres of buildings and structures located within the District of Squamish. 
• Implementation of the Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw at this time will be based on an education approach rather than a ticketing enforcement program.

The District’s Wildfire DPA and Wildfire Landscaping Bylaw will help to ensure new development is managed in a way that minimizes the risk to property and people from wildfire hazards, promote activities to reduce wildfire hazards, and minimize the risk of fire to the community. 

To learn more about the project and browse our FAQ visit squamish.ca/wildfire.

For FireSmart resources including Homeowner’s Guides, best practices and upcoming Chipper Days, visit squamish.ca/firesmart.