FireSmart

What's new

Thank you to all Westside residents for participating in our FireSmart Program. We have now reached our capacity for accepting any new FireSmart Assessments for 2025 and are working hard to get to every property. Funding for the 2025 grant program is still available to those who have already had a FireSmart Assessment completed. Please check back in 2026 for future opportunities!

Reduce your risk from wildfires

Take FireSmart actions today to reduce the risks of future wildfires affecting our community and your home.

Protect your home from wildfire today – start with these excellent resources from FireSmart Canada and FireSmart BC:

FireSmart 101 – a free, one hour course from FireSmart Canada
FireSmart Self Assessment
- Please note that this is only self-assessment and does not make you eligible for the FireSmart grant program

Did you know?

A well-maintained home, with a fire-resistant roof and a FireSmart immediate and Intermediate zone (zero to 10 metres from the home) is 90% more likely to survive a wildfire.

About our FireSmart Grant Program

Take part in our FireSmart programs and events, seek recognition through the program, conduct a self-assessment, and start right away on your home or property using the FireSmart Homeowners Manual or Landscaping Guide. See below for programs, events, and resources (including videos).

For more resources and information, take the FireSmart 101 Course or visit FireSmart BC and FireSmart Canada.

2025 FireSmart Local Grant Program

2025 FireSmart Grant Program Closed

The City of West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation, in partnership with the Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) Program, is offering funding to help property owners use FireSmart principles and initiatives to reduce the risk of wildfire damage to their homes and community. This program may be subject to change.

A FireSmart assessment of your property must be completed to qualify for a homeowner grant.
To request an assessment, please visit firesmartbcplatform.ca.
For more information about the program, including guidelines and the application process, see the details below.

Guidelines

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.

Rebate Program Requirements and Eligible Residential Mitigation Work

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.

Application Requirements and Process

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.
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.
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.
Submit your completed application by emailing firesmart@westkelownacity.ca with the subject line: *Last Name 2025 FireSmart Application*.

Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP)

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.

FireSmart Family Day

Thank you to everyone who attend FireSmart Family Day in 2025! Check back early next year for the 2026 date.

Neighbourhood Recognition Program - Currently Paused

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)

Home Partners Program

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

Resources

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:

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.

Connect with us

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