FireSmart Landscapes
The FireSmart philosophy focuses on mitigating the likelihood of large, high-intensity, high-severity fires and the risk
associated with the use of prescribed fire. FireSmart landscapes are a core part of this and are designed to recognize the
interaction between the ecological, economic and social impacts of fire.
Wildfire can have positive or negative impacts, depending on resource management objectives.
Although wildfires can destroy
homes or burn valuable timber, they can also diversify wildlife habitat and sustain forest health (Partners in Protection,
1999).
Since fire plays such a crucial role in the dynamics of fire-dependant ecosystems (i.e., boreal forest, montane), it is
important to consider and manage the integration of fire and forest management: for the most part, these two disciplines
have evolved separately.
One approach to integrate fire and sustainable forest management is to design FireSmart landscapes. Doing so in a strategic
way provides greater certainty for an array of landscape values.
This process and its characteristics are fundamental elements
of sustainable forest management.
FireSmart Landscapes Framework
This diagram illustrates the concepts of FireSmart landscapes.
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Updated: Jun 24, 2009