The Winlaw Community Hall was packed for the inaugural meeting of the Slocan Valley Watershed and Forest Protection Society (SVWFPS) on March 2.
A diverse crowd of valley folk came out to support the creation of a community of collaboration – with the goal of working together to prepare for and respond to emergencies.
The newly formed non-profit society hopes to cover the Slocan Valley from Playmor Junction to New Denver, especially the areas that aren’t already protected by municipal fire departments.
“We need people to help in putting this together,” said Winlaw resident Maggie Teiner, member of the small core group that began research last winter. “We need to work in unity.”
Because it’s a lot of work, she said. The core group has dwindled in size, but the SVWFPS is the call for action to the wider community. Last summer’s fires threw everyone for a loop, and the time to act is now.
Sign-up sheets were dispersed for individuals to volunteer their skills, equipment, resources, and local knowledge to establish a network and database that can be called on when an emergency arises. Beyond active fire fighting, the society is seeking people who can offer emergency shelter; local terrain and watershed knowledge; apply for grants and funding; coordinate the community; and run base operations, among many other efforts.
“The whole idea is that we can call on each other,” she said. “We can have mutual aid with each other.”
One of the society’s goals includes emulating the Argenta Safety and Preparedness Society (ASAP) and its fire brigade, which saw local residents making initial attack, then fighting alongside BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) last summer.
Teiner and the core group visited with ASAP members, gleaning information from their 20-plus years of experience.
SVWFPS hopes to form brigades in the Slocan Valley. Individuals need to be certified, with Teiner seeking at least 10 volunteers to bring training to the area. She estimated acquiring equipment alone could cost between $40,000 and $60,000.
Part of ASAP’s success came from its work with Living Lakes Canada to develop a water map – an official document mapping civic addresses, standpipes, and other water resources. The water map was years in the making, with long-time residents contributing valuable local knowledge. Teiner hopes to do the same in the Slocan Valley.
The crowd that gathered brought up many ideas and concerns. A representative from Slocan Integral Forestry Cooperative (SIFCo) offered use of its terrain maps. One attendee noted local archives may hold information on water sources. Another offered his trailers for evacuating livestock. Many cited the FireSmart program, and other mitigation practices including private logging.
Interested individuals can reach out by emailing slocanvalleywfps@gmail.com.
