Art Knapp Prince George is one of the first garden centers in BC to launch the FireSmart BC Landscaping Guide and fire-resistant plant tagging program.
The center will be officially announcing the program today (Saturday) and FireSmart officials will be in attendance to help educate Art Knapp shoppers on the program.
All garden centers that participate in the program will have plant tags around specific species of plants that are more fire-resistant to wildfires than others.
“By making strategic choices in your yard, you can increase the wildfire resiliency of your property,” said Kelsey Winter, Chair of the BC FireSmart Committee.
Copies of the FireSmart BC Landscaping guides will also be available to pick up at participating locations, they can also be downloaded from FireSmartBC.ca
The program is meant to help BC residents make more informed decisions on how to manage their lawns and gardens and increase resilience to wildfires on their properties.
It will recommend species, property layouts, and plant care practices to reduce the risk of wildfires within communities that are subject to a range of fire hazards.
Additionally, representatives from the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George (RDFFG) will also attend the event to share wildfire prevention ideas that are specific to their property.
“We are working with the City of Prince George to reduce the risk of wildfire in the community and have identified the neighborhoods of Pidherny, Malaspina and Broddy Road for initial focus to offer these property reviews,” says Anita de Dreu, Emergency Services Coordinator with the RDFFG.