Skip to main content
Mobile
  • Finance, Accounting & Economics
  • Global Business Management
  • Management, Leadership & Organisation
  • Marketing & Sales
  • Strategy
  • Technology & Operations
HS Talks HS Talks
Subjects  
Search
  • Notifications
    Notifications

    No current notifications.

  • User
    Welcome Guest
    You have Limited Access The Business & Management Collection
    Login
    Get Assistance
    Login
    Forgot your password?
    Login via your organisation
    Login via Organisation
    Get Assistance
Finance, Accounting & Economics
Global Business Management
Management, Leadership & Organisation
Marketing & Sales
Strategy
Technology & Operations
Case study

The City of Penticton’s comprehensive approach to wildfire risk reduction

Miyoko Mckeown and Brittany Seibert
Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning, 17 (3), 220-234 (2024)
https://doi.org/10.69554/JUIQ4930

Abstract

From 2017 to 2023, British Columbians experienced four record-breaking wildfire seasons, resulting in reduced air quality, mass evacuations and the destruction of homes, properties and livelihoods. Wildfire risk reduction is vital to breaking the sequence of disaster that has befallen such communities as Kelowna, BC in 2003, Ft. McMurray, AB in 2016, and Lytton, BC in 2021. As the City of Penticton (‘the City’) is located in a wildfire-prone environment, its Fire Department, FireSmart Team and Emergency Program have worked closely together to facilitate a proactive and comprehensive approach towards reducing the impacts of wildfire on Penticton’s neighbourhoods, businesses and residents through a variety of wildfire mitigation initiatives. This paper discusses the City’s efforts to achieve a holistic wildfire risk management plan through alignment with the seven disciplines of FireSmart and the four pillars of emergency management, namely: the use of education; land use planning and development considerations; vegetation management; emergency planning; and cross training and interagency cooperation. The paper describes the challenges the City has faced, as well its successes, and provides recommendations to help other local authorities reduce the risk of wildfire in their communities.

Keywords: wildfire; FireSmart; wildfire risk reduction; wildfire and emergency management; wildfire and fire services

The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.

Already a subscriber? Login or review other options.

Author's Biography

Miyoko Mckeown is the FireSmart Coordinator for the City of Penticton. Miyoko joined the Penticton FireSmart Team after serving three seasons with the British Columbia Wildfire Service. During her time with Penticton Initial Attack, Miyoko was deployed to assist with the 2020 wildfire response in Quincy, California. Her background in wildfires and understanding of wildfire behaviour assists her with assessing individual residential properties — providing wildfire risk reduction recommendations.

Brittany Seibert is the Emergency Program Coordinator for the City of Penticton. Prior to this, she spent more than a decade working for the British Columbia Wildfire Service, fulfilling roles ranging from dispatcher to crew leader. She has fought wildfires internationally and has supported multiple local governments in FireSmart initiatives and programming. She is currently completing her master’s degree in disaster and emergency management and works casually as a structure protection specialist.

Citation

Mckeown, Miyoko and Seibert, Brittany (2024, March 1). The City of Penticton’s comprehensive approach to wildfire risk reduction. In the Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning, Volume 17, Issue 3. https://doi.org/10.69554/JUIQ4930.

Options

  • Download PDF
  • Share this page
    Share This Article
    Messaging
    • Outlook
    • Gmail
    • Yahoo!
    • WhatsApp
    Social
    • Facebook
    • X
    • LinkedIn
    • VKontakte
    Permalink
cover image, Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning
Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning
Volume 17 / Issue 3
© Henry Stewart
Publications LLP

The Business & Management Collection

  • ISSN: 2059-7177
  • Contact Us
  • Request Free Trial
  • Recommend to Your Librarian
  • Subscription Information
  • Match Content
  • Share This Collection
  • Embed Options
  • View Quick Start Guide
  • Accessibility

Categories

  • Finance, Accounting & Economics
  • Global Business Management
  • Management, Leadership & Organisation
  • Marketing & Sales
  • Strategy
  • Technology & Operations

Librarian Information

  • General Information
  • MARC Records
  • Discovery Services
  • Onsite & Offsite Access
  • Federated (Shibboleth) Access
  • Usage Statistics
  • Promotional Materials
  • Testimonials

About Us

  • About HSTalks
  • Editors
  • Contact Information
  • About the Journals

HSTalks Home

Follow Us On:

HS Talks
  • Site Requirements
  • Copyright & Permissions
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
© Copyright Henry Stewart Talks Ltd

Personal Account Required

To use this function, you need to be signed in with a personal account.

If you already have a personal account, please login here.

Otherwise you may sign up now for a personal account.

HS Talks

Cookies and Privacy

We use cookies, and similar tools, to improve the way this site functions, to track browsing patterns and enable marketing. For more information read our cookie policy and privacy policy.

Cookie Settings

How Cookies Are Used

Cookies are of the following types:

  • Essential to make the site function.
  • Used to analyse and improve visitor experience.

For more information see our Cookie Policy.

Some types of cookies can be disabled by you but doing so may adversely affect functionality. Please see below:

(always on)

If you block these cookies or set alerts in your browser parts of the website will not work.

Cookies that provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. If not allowed functionality may be impaired.

Cookies that count and track visits and on website activity enabling us to organise the website to optimise the experience of users. They may be blocked without immediate adverse effect.