By Abigail Popple, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, RMG
For those who raise livestock, the responsibilities of keeping humans and animals on their property safe during wildfires can be overwhelming. To learn how producers should prepare for wildfires, The Goat spoke with local and regional officials on best practices for people who keep livestock.
Planning Ahead
“Emergency planning for individual farms is the responsibility of the producer,” said Kenna Jonkman, General Manager of Community and Development Services for the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. “Producers are encouraged to have a plan for transportation, housing and feed for their animals as support may not be immediately available during an emergency.”
She added that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food has a number of web pages available for producers preparing for wildfire. These include an evacuation preparation checklist, a factsheet on preparing for livestock relocation, and specific guides for pork, beef, and dairy producers.
These resources comprise the first two of the Province’s four “pillars of emergency management,” says the Ministry’s Director of Emergency Management, Graham Knox. While local governments are responsible for handling in-the-moment logistics for evacuations and emergencies, the Province works to support producers in the mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery from emergencies, Knox told The Goat.
“We want people to think about the types of hazards and the risks that may affect them and their animals in the area of the province where they live,” he said. “For example, we’re really encouraging farmers and ranchers to FireSmart their property to reduce their risks… And for hazardous materials like diesel, pesticides, and fertilizers, we want to make sure they’ve made the best possible decision on where to store those things on their property and minimize their risk to themselves and the risks to the environment and their animals.”
Knox added that producers can use the aforementioned emergency planning guides to draft a plan unique to their operation’s needs. He encourages producers to familiarize their staff with the plan, and test the plan regularly to ensure it can be implemented as smoothly as possible during an emergency.
Both Jonkman and Knox remind producers to register with Premises ID. This free, mandatory program has producers add any geographic location on their property which has livestock on it – from abattoirs to feedlots – to a province-wide registry of information on animals’ locations, the types of animals on an operation, and how to contact the individuals responsible for those animals.
“We strictly use it for emergency purposes. We share it with partners such as the local authority, First Nation, partner ministries and federal partners only on a need-to-know basis,” Knox said.
While the program was initially designed to help track the spread of disease, it has proven a useful tool for natural disasters, according to Knox.
“The system is an amazing resource for us to plan and prepare. For instance, a local authority with an area highly at risk of wildfire or flooding can request access, and they can make conversations with those producers and understand what their plan is,” Knox said.
Finally, Knox suggests reaching out to other producers to act as a “buddy farm” where producer’s can house one another’s livestock when necessary.
“You want to make these arrangements before an emergency occurs, so that you know exactly where you’re going to take your animals if you have to leave in short order,” he said.
Even the best-laid plans go awry
Knox said producers should also consider the worst-case scenario: leaving animals behind in the event of a rapidly-unfolding disaster. Producers can leave feed and water for their animals before evacuating, and in some cases can set their animals loose – though Knox advises against doing this if it creates a public safety risk, such as large livestock blocking a highway that locals may use as an escape route.
“Another thing folks can do before leaving a property is to leave information at the property line or the gate for first responders,” he said. “Put together a little map of your operation that shows where the key hazards are, where the animals are if you’ve had to leave them behind, and any alternative access for the first responders to get into that property.”
This step can help first responders identify which buildings are the most defensible during a fire, and they may be able to get feed and water to animals as well, he added.
Keeping in touch with local authorities
During and after an emergency, local authorities – municipalities, First Nations, and Regional Districts – should be a producer’s first point of contact, according to Jonkman and Knox.
“For (livestock relocation) costs to be reimbursed, service providers must make arrangements through the local authority’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC),” said Jonkman. “If a producer requires assistance for activities related to livestock relocation, they should contact the Regional District’s EOC during an evacuation alert or order phase of an emergency to request these services.”
Knox also emphasized the importance of reaching out to a local EOC so producers can qualify for the Province’s Livestock Relocation Policy, which can reimburse costs for housing and transportation.
“You would reach out to your local authority and request assistance through those folks and then they will start making the plans (for relocation), and go over your plan with you,” Knox said. “Then they submit the forms and get that money back – it’s typically not the producers themselves that have to pay.”
“The key thing is that if you move your own animals, you don’t get funded for that. If you’re housing your own animals on another farm you own, you don’t get paid for that. It’s really for any third-party housing or transport you need.”
Still, Knox emphasizes the importance for planning ahead of time.
“The more people that can be prepared, the better they’ll be able to handle the situation mentally, the better outcomes we have for animal welfare, food security, and rural economies,” he said. “Everything people can do to prepare is going to make a big difference for themselves, the animals, their business, and the region.
