FireSmart

• A free home assessment by a West Kelowna Fire Rescue FireSmart professional is required to be eligible for the local grant program. This assessment identifies eligible projects specific to your home. Click here to view eligible activities.

• Residents, community associations, and strata properties within the City of West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation are eligible to apply for the local grant program. FireSmart work must be first identified during the free home assessment and completed within the campaign period.

• Grants will be prioritized only for work conducted in the Immediate and Intermediate zones.

• Grants will only be considered once all work is completed and the application is submitted. Please note that a limited number of grants are available.

• For guidance in completing your project, refer to the FireSmart Begins at Home and FireSmart Landscaping manuals.

Approved applicants are required to adhere to the following requirements:

• Rebates are limited to 50% of the total cost of the eligible activities identified in the eligible activities list and no more than $500 per property².
• Areas of higher wildfire risk, such as neighbourhoods adjacent to the forested edge and/or areas that fall in an overall high to extreme category, should be prioritized for rebates and eligible residential mitigation work. Current plans should be used to decide where to prioritize FireSmart activities.

1. Book a FireSmart Home Assessment with one of our FireSmart Professionals by visiting firesmartbcplatform.ca. The assessment will take approximately 30-60 minutes and will focus on practical steps you can take to make your home more resilient to wildfires. At the end of this assessment, you will receive a customized list of eligible activities for your property.
2. Complete one of the recommended activities, either on your own or by hiring a professional. Be sure to take before and after photos to include in your application package.
3. Download and complete the FireSmart Grant Application Package. Attach the before and after photos, along with any relevant receipts, to your email for your submission. Refer to the Sample Application Package to help guide you through the process.
4. Submit your completed application by emailing firesmart@westkelownacity.ca with the subject line: *Last Name 2025 FireSmart Application*.

The Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP) is the primary wildfire risk reduction plan for communities in British Columbia. The City of West Kelowna’s 2024 CWRP builds on the recommendations of the 2018 Community Wildfire Preparedness Plan, further strengthening our neighbourhoods against future wildfire threats.

The CWRP helps the City and West Kelowna Fire Rescue develop achievable and strategic action items to enhance community wildfire resiliency while prioritizing wildfire risk management in the wildland-urban interface, where homes and buildings intersect with forested areas.

View the updated CWRP at OurWK.ca/wildfireplan.

Every year, we invite our community to join West Kelowna Fire Rescue firefighters, staff and special guests for free activities and refreshments at FireSmart Family Day!

 This year, FireSmart day will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Fire Hall 31 (3651 Old Okanagan Hwy.).

Enjoy family fun activities:

• Kids activity zone
• Meet Sparky the Fire Dog and Ember the Fire Fox
• Enjoy food and refreshments
• Watch live FreshSmart demos with our firefighters
• Spray a fire hose
• Ask about our grant program
• Learn how to be fire smart

Please, consider bringing a non-perishable food item for the food bank. 

Please note this program is currently paused.

Obtain FireSmart recognition status by meeting the following criteria:

• Enlist a local FireSmart Representative to complete an assessment and create a plan that identifies locally agreed-upon solutions that the neighbourhood can implement.

• Sponsor a local Neighbourhood FireSmart Committee, which maintains the FireSmart Neighbourhood Plan and tracks its progress or status.

• Conduct FireSmart events each year that are dedicated to a local FireSmart project.

• Invest a minimum of $2 per capita annually in local FireSmart Neighbourhood efforts.

• Submit an annual report to FireSmart Canada that documents continuing compliance with the program.

• Find information on FireSmart Neighbourhood recognition at firesmartbc.ca.

West Kelowna Neighbourhood Recognition Program Participants:

• Huntsville Green (2016)
• Casa Loma – 6 streets - (2021)
• Sunview (2022)
• Starlight (2024)

• West Kelowna will offer the Home Partners Program to individual homeowners in neighbourhoods that have been recognized as "FireSmart" under the Neighbourhood Recognition Program.
• Through this program, homeowners get a professional home assessment with specific recommendations highlighting their properties' unique risks and ways to mitigate them. If your neighbourhood is recognized through the Neighbourhood Recognition Program and you are interested, contact firesmart@westkelownacity.ca.
• Learn more about the program at: firesmartbc.ca/homepartners

Guides and manuals

FireSmart BC offershelpful resources to improve your home and your property’s chances of surviving a wildfire.

Click here for resources including:

• FireSmart BC Homeowners Manual

• FireSmart BC Landscaping Guide

• Guide to Lower Risk Plants for Hedges, Privacy & Screening

• Wildfire Preparedness Guide

• FireSmart Begins at Home Manual

Click here for resources including:

• Landscaping Brochure
• FireSmart Last-Minute Wildfire Checklist

Videos

Visit firesmartbc.ca/videos to learn more about:

• Tricia Thorpe’s Lytton story about how she lost her home to the infamous 2021 wildfire and the steps she and her family have taken to recover and become FireSmart.
• Kerry Anderson FireSmart testimonial about how he became a neighbourhood champion, putting FireSmart principles to good use to protect his Okanagan community.
• IBHS Research Center ember storm test highlights demonstrating why taking FireSmart actions to replace combustible landscaping, siding, and roofing materials will improve the survivability of your home during wildfire.

If you have any questions about any FireSmart programs or events, please contact firesmart@westkelownacity.ca.