The territory’s first community wildfire protection plans have been finalized by the Yukon Wildland Fire Management branch and community-level working groups in Haines Junction and Teslin.

A community wildfire protec-tion plan is a strategy for reducing the wildland fire risk around a community.

Communities create their plans with support and technical input from Wildland Fire Management, balancing public safety needs with local priorities.

“The endorsement of community wildfire protection plans in Haines Junction and Teslin is an investment in emergency preparedness and marks the first step towards the Our Clean Future action item of completing these types of plans for all Yukon communities by 2026,” the government said in a statement today.

Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn added, “Protection plans are an important tool in our government’s wildfire prevention and mitigation program.

“They allow us to work with local partners to decide how to best protect each community.

“Our government is committed to implementing the actions in Our Clean Future to address climate change, mitigate its impacts and build climate- resilient communities.

Each community wildfire protection plan includes prioritized areas where fuel management should take place and recommendations to reduce the chances that wildland fires will damage structures.

Community wildfire protection plans support the existing work to reduce wildfire risk, including FireSmart funding projects and homeowner outreach campaigns.