Originally Published on Salt Spring Exchange on July 8, 2026
A recent community survey has given Transition Salt Spring a clearer picture of how residents feel about wildfire risk on the island, and the results are both sobering and encouraging.
The survey received 459 responses from residents across Salt Spring. Nearly 80 percent reported moderate to high concern about wildfire risk, and 81 percent are worried about hotter, drier summers ahead. Two-thirds of respondents expressed concern about the drying and loss of wetlands and how that is connected to wildfire risks.
These concerns are motivating people to act. Eighty-five percent of respondents said they had already taken steps to reduce wildfire risk on their property, including clearing combustible materials, trimming vegetation, maintaining space around their homes, and reducing the buildup of dry fuel near structures. That’s a meaningful number of neighbours already doing the work.
Knowledge makes a real difference. Residents familiar with FireSmart principles, a practical and well-tested approach to reducing wildfire risk around homes, were far more likely to take action. Nearly 97 percent of those very familiar with FireSmart had made changes to their property, compared with fewer than half of those who hadn’t heard of it.
“When people understand their wildfire vulnerabilities, know what actions to take, and have the resources they need, they are much more likely to get started,” says Jennie Sparkes, Transition Salt Spring’s Wildfire Ready project lead. “We also heard that for many residents, time, cost, and ability to do the work were real barriers. Finding practical solutions for those residents is something we’re committed to.”
Ninety-one percent of survey respondents recognized that healthy forests contribute to wildfire resiliency, yet many were unfamiliar with what a healthy Coastal Douglas-fir forest looks like. Decades of logging, development, and fire suppression have impacted the structure and composition of the island’s forests and made them more vulnerable to wildfire. With nearly 80 percent of Salt Spring’s rare and beautiful Coastal Douglas-fir forest sitting on private land, residents and landowners have real power to help restore the forests and further reduce the island’s wildfire risk.
Survey results are shaping the tools, programs, and community support that Transition Salt Spring is developing over the coming months, from educational resources to hands-on help for homeowners who face barriers to getting started. The goal is straightforward: help residents make their homes and properties safer, and help restore Salt Spring’s forests to the healthier, more fire-adapted landscape they once were.
Salt Spring is a community that knows how to pull together. This survey suggests that when it comes to wildfire, the will is already there.
Visit the Transition Salt Spring Wildfire Ready Hub for resources on emergency preparedness, wildfire risk reduction, and community resilience: transitionsaltspring.com/wildfire
Left: a healthy Coastal Douglas Forest on Salt Spring Island. Right: a wildfire in action. Photos provided by Transition Salt Spring