Despite the growing threat of wildfires and floods, construction in high-risk areas continues in Canada due to outdated and missing mapping data, leaving home buyers unaware of the dangers. A new report highlights the urgency to address this issue, as millions of new homes are planned in the coming years, potentially exacerbating the problem. The report emphasizes the need to consider climate risks in land-use policies and promote wildfire-resistant building practices.
Home construction in wildfire and flood hazard areas continues unabated partly because Canada’s flood and wildfire mapping is outdated or missing. An abandoned house in Lytton, B.C., pictured on May 14, 2024, with burned forestry from the 2021 wildfire in the background.At the top of a steep driveway, construction workers are building a new home overlooking Okanagan Lake.
Home construction in wildfire and flood hazard areas continues unabated, the report found, partly because Canada’s flood and wildfire mapping is outdated or missing altogether, so home buyers often are unaware of the risk they are taking on.
“Many B.C. municipalities are simply unprepared for the growing threat from floods and wildfires. Changing where and how we build housing isn’t easy, but it’s far better than the alternative,” Mr. Ness said.Wildfire strategies vary greatly among the communities around the Okanagan Valley. Some districts are investing millions in wildfire mitigation measures, others are stalled on simple recommendations to put up signs for evacuation routes.
To highlight how building design can change wildfire outcomes, Mr. Ireland provided a tour of a new subdivision that was built according to the province’sguidelines. A wildfire in 2023 passed through the neighbourhood with minor damage. “The fire raged all around here, but we didn’t lose a single house. Look at these properties – their landscaping didn’t even get burned,” he said.
In January, the benches in the firehall were stacked with firefighters’ gear as Mr. Lee prepared for another round of volunteer training. The recruits can expect a busy summer. The community has issues with water supply, an average of 11-per-cent population growth, and of course a changing climate that means ever-increasing risk of wildfires.
WILDFIRE FLOOD HOUSING CLIMATE RISK LAND USE
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