Residents of Bragg Creek more receptive to FireSmart program

Residents in Bragg Creek appear to be more willing to remove some of the trees and vegetation around town, in the wake of the Fort McMurray wildfires.

Rocky View Fire Chief Randy Smith says residents have become more receptive to the FireSmart Program compared to when it was first introduced.

The program aims to reduce the risk of wildfire through education, vegetation management and emergency planning.

Smith told 660 NEWS recent events and disasters like the one in Fort McMurray have no doubt changed some attitudes.

“From a public standpoint I think that it truly emphasized the need to be personally prepared to have your grab and go kit, we heard story after story of people being evacuated and scrambling to get what they could from their house.” Smith said.

Randy Smith says it’s important to be prepared.

“You know it’s being resilient in the fact knowing where your family is, having a family emergency plan. I listened to story after story in the news media about some people were sent north, some people came south, some went to Anzac and you can just imagine the stress and anxiety you would be going through.” Smith said.

Smith says one of the reasons people were reluctant in participating in the program was they were worried they might lose the aesthetics of rural life, but he adds that is not the case.

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