Western Canada Wildfires – Resources and Supports

A few weeks ago, we watched on in horror as the town of Lytton, BC, was ravaged by a wildfire that destroyed 90 per cent of the town and cost the lives of two local residents. This tragedy has so far headlined a potentially record-breaking wildfire season in Canada. Hundreds of fires are currently burning out of control, forcing evacuations and blanketing our skies with smoke.

We’ve seen the impact of these fires up close, with many of our team members assisting in evacuations and support in the Okanagan region of British Columbia. We are so thankful to these hard working and dedicated security professionals for going above and beyond to service their community.

During this challenging time, there are several resources available to residents and business owners to help manage the day-to-day situation, while also planning for any potential rebuild. We’ve gathered these resources below in one easy to reference blog.

Government of Canada - Get Prepared

The Government of Canada’s Get Prepared hub contains practical advice, statistics and resources for how to prepare for, and deal with, wildfires.

Helpful Links

Provincial and Territorial Information

Each province and territory is responsible for managing their wildfires in cooperation with local authorities. In some cases, the federal government may be asked to assist. The majority of these provinces and territories have information online on the fire situation in their area. Find links for your Province below.

Fire Smoke Forecast – Firesmoke.ca

Learn the forecast for air quality and smoke particles in your area on the Fire Smoke website. Data is updated regularly, with forecasts available for the next 48 hours.

Wildfire resources

Canadian Red Cross – Wildfire Centre

The Canadian Red Cross are a non-profit with decades of frontline emergency response in our country, and globally through their various international organizations.

Visit the Canadian Red Cross for information on how to create an emergency plan for Wildfires, and key steps for what to do before, during and after a wildfire.

Donation Matching

The Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia will each match every dollar donated to the Canadian Red Cross to support wildfire relief in British Columbia. That means that every $1 donated, $3 will go to those affected by the wildfires.

Canadian Red Cross Disaster Relief

If you’ve been personally impacted by wildfires and require assistance, the Canadian Red Cross can provide food, shelter, clothing and essential supplies for up to 72 hours. Contact them at the following numbers:

Alberta
1-888-800-6493

British Columbia
1-888-800-6493

Manitoba
1-888-800-6493

New Brunswick
1-800-222-9597

Newfoundland and Labrador
1-800-222-9597

Nova Scotia
1-800-222-9597

Northwest Territories
1-888-800-6493

Nunavut
1-888-800-6493

Ontario
1-800-850-5090

Prince Edward Island
1-800-222-9597

Quebec
1-877-362-2433

Saskatchewan
1-888-800-6493

Yukon
1-888-800-6493

FireSmart Canada

FireSmart Canada leads the development of resources and programs designed to empower the public and increase neighbourhood resilience to wildfire across Canada.

BC Economic Development Association – 10 Steps to Prepare Your Business for Evacuation

If your business is on alert for evacuation, BCEDA have gathered 10 essential steps to prepare your business for disruption and quick return.

Blackbird Security

Blackbird Security can offer frontline support for evacuation efforts and other security needs during wildfire season. In recent weeks, we’ve been honoured to aid frontline evacuation efforts in the Okanagan region of BC. Across Canada, we have dedicated security professionals ready whenever and wherever they are needed. Most of our security guards possess Occupational First Aid (OFA) certification, and receive dedicated training in areas such as customer service and incident de-escalation.

Whether you’re based in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba or Ontario, we can provide professional security guards and security services on terms that work for your unique needs.

With British Columbia hardest hit by the recent wildfires, our team is available on short notice to assist in the following towns and cities:

Kelowna
Penticton
Vernon
Osoyoos
Oliver
Kootenays
Lower Mainland
Fraser Valley
Victoria
Duncan
Nanaimo
Parksville
Courtenay
Campbell River
Port Alberni

Work with Blackbird Security

Blackbird Security is the fastest growing security company in Canada. If you’re interested in upgrading your security services, we’d love to hear from you. We offer the following range of services to clients: