BC's Cariboo Region is frequently impacted by wildfires. Fire suppression alone cannot protect against all these impacts. There is a need for an increased focus on mitigation at both the landscape and household level. At the household level, there are several programs in Canada that are offered to help people protect their homes against wildfires. However, few communities in the Cariboo have achieved certification through these programs.

As a student researcher, I sought to understand how Cariboo residents decided to adopt or not adopt wildfire mitigation techniques at their homes and properties. I was looking for ways to reduce the impact of future wildfires on Cariboo communities.

This research was intended to be by Cariboo Residents, for Cariboo Residents. The project was not funded by any government agency and was overseen by boards and supervisors at Royal Roads University. The research involved fieldwork to examine neighborhood adoption of wildfire mitigation, remote interviews with cariboo residents, a focus group and incorporation of publicly available data-sources. It was approved by a university ethics board.