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The Importance of Wildfire Protection in BC Construction
Every spring and summer, Canadians are subjected to news stories from across the country (and the world) involving catastrophic wildfires. As the effects of climate change continue to domine the headlines every year, communities in British Columbia feel particularly susceptible to wildfire risk.at
Municipalities everywhere should have a community wildfire protection plan focusing on fire prevention. Unfortunately, once a wildfire takes hold in areas with dry vegetation, homeowners in nearby regions generally have little time to prepare for their evacuation.
Any company working in BC amongst the trees and heavily forested areas must have a strategy to address potential hazards and ensure their project limits any fire risk at the worksite.
What Does Your Community Wildfire Protection Plan Entail?
If you’re a project owner, it’s imperative that you work with responsible construction contractors who take the threat of wildfires seriously.
North Vancouver is home to North Construction, a prominent construction company leading the charge in enhancing their wildfire protection protocols.
North Vancouver’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan outlines ways to ensure all is done to limit the risks of starting a forest fire. The plan consists of 5 key elements:
- Communication/Education (ensuring cooperation between various stakeholders)
- Structure Protection (ensuring materials for roofing, siding, glazing, eaves, decks, and vents comply with the outlined standards)
- Emergency Response (managing utility hazards associated with hydroelectric and gas infrastructure)
- Training (practicing evacuation strategies in the event of a fire)
- Fuel/Vegetation Management (creating a proper buffer zone between the forest and the nearby community)
According to North Vancouver’s plan, new buildings must conform to the rules set out by FireSmart, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and district regulations calling for the use of nonflammable building envelope materials.
It’s one thing to outline best practices on a page; it’s another to implement those changes into your work processes.
How Construction Companies Can Help Reduce Wildfire Risk
To be fully effective, companies must comply with local community regulations, especially when dry weather conditions exist during BC’s hottest months.
Construction companies also possess the equipment and expertise to assist the local fire department within the communities they are serving. Construction companies can be brought in to create fire barriers (or fuel breaks). This process clears an area of potential fuel hazards.
Removing fuels involves clearing the vegetation that allows the fire to spread further across the forest floor and up into the trees (ladder fuels). If you need to create fuel breaks in your community, what better company to call than a contractor involved in civil construction, land clearing, and eco-sensitive projects!
North Construction in North Vancouver, BC, is one such construction company.
Wildfire Protection Starts with Prevention
Anytime you store flammable materials on a job site or work with powerful electrical equipment, there is always an element of risk, especially in BC with its dense forested landscapes and mountainous topography.
This is why you need to be able to monitor your equipment and work processes throughout the project’s duration to ensure everything is in perfect working order. Faulty equipment combined with combustible materials stored on site is a cocktail for disaster.
From AI-generated risk assessments to the implementation of technology that provides real-time live job site updates, you deserve to work with an outfit that has adopted the technology and safety practices to minimize risk.
When you consider that a single spark from a grinder is enough to ignite a devastating wildfire, you need a crew that treats every task with the utmost care.
When you’ve handled as many land clearing and construction jobs in as many precarious locations as North Construction, you learn the risks each procedure can pose. North Construction insists on having the correct training, preventative controls, and ‘stop work’ procedures in place. No exceptions!
North Construction has much experience working in conditions that make other companies nervous. Get in touch today to discuss the safe execution of your next construction project in BC.
