Communities across Canada mobilize for Wildfire Community Preparedness Day on May 2

Canadians across the country will join forces on May 2 for Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, a nationwide push to reduce the risk of wildland fire damage through practical, community-led action. The initiative is spearheaded by FireSmart Canada in collaboration with its founding member, Co-operators, the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR), and provincial and territorial wildfire management agencies.

As part of this year’s effort, individuals were invited to apply for a $500 award to help implement FireSmart principles in their communities. FireSmart Canada says it received 434 applications and awarded funds to 366 communities to host preparedness events between May and October.

The projects are designed to spur neighbours to work together on simple, hands-on steps that can make a difference—such as clearing dry debris and thinning combustible vegetation around homes and shared spaces. “Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is about shifting from reacting to wildfire to being ready for it,” said Hannah Swift, Director of Prevention and Mitigation at the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

“When neighbours work together to apply FireSmart principles, they’re not just protecting their own homes, they’re strengthening the resilience of the entire community.” Maya Milardovic, AVP of Government Relations at Co-operators, said the threat from wildfires affects entire neighbourhoods, underscoring the need for collective action.

She added that Co-operators promotes these collaborative principles among the residents it insures and encourages proactive steps that can help build resilience and prevent irreplaceable losses. ICLR Executive Director Paul Kovacs said the organization has supported the preparedness day from the outset because it mobilizes friends and neighbours to confront wildfire risk together.

He noted that effective risk reduction begins at the grassroots—through shared knowledge, community resilience and collective action—aligning with ICLR’s mission to help reduce catastrophic losses across Canada. Organizers say activities can range from neighbourhood clean-ups and wood chipper days to educational workshops, with the aim of lowering shared wildland fire risk.

FireSmart Canada, which operates under a mandate from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, promotes community-based solutions to help Canadians prepare homes, properties and neighbourhoods for the threat of wildland fire.