My office continues to hear concerns regarding fires and fire safety, especially with regards to the Torbolton Forest in Constance Bay. I share these concerns. I have been actively engaging with City departments to determine the best steps to move forward, and now have an update.
I have arranged a meeting and a tour of Torbolton Forest with City of Ottawa Forestry staff as well as members of Ottawa Fire Services to evaluate the forest and discuss both the concerns of the public and possible solutions. That meeting/tour will be taking place next Thursday (April 25). Afterward, I will again have an update to share on the plans moving forward.
Please note that there will also be another Emergency Preparedness session coming up, and fire safety is a component of this session. Last year, we heard from Ken Cox (FireSmart Canada) who shared some mitigation measures that homeowners can take to protect their homes. FS_Home-Ignition-Zone-Poster.pdf (firesmartcanada.ca)
I continue to explore the feasibility of installing signs indicating burn bans, and the threat level of fires, similar to those we see in other communities. Ideally, these would be installed at entrance points to our rural villages.
Any questions, please contact our office at Clarke.Kelly@Ottawa.ca