Marten Beach residents removed trailer loads of branches, brush, and logs during their 12th FireSmart community cleanup, as volunteers continue working to reduce wildfire risk around Hamlet on Aug. 22

Dan Tarney, who organizes the annual event, says about 55 people attended this year’s cleanup.

“It went well,” says Tarney. “It was a nice day.”

Volunteers worked in different areas by removing vegetation and other fuel that could contribute to the intensity of a wildfire.

Tarney says approximately five large dump-trailer loads of branches were taken to a burn pile.
Another volunteer removed about six smaller utility-trailer loads of brush and logs.
The Gift Lake Firetack crew from Gift Lake Development Corporation also participated. The crew piled logs, trees, and helped move branches collected by community volunteers.

Tarney says Marten Beach has seven zones where FireSmart work has been taking place. Two are now clear enough that little work is required, while three still need significant attention.

“The good news is we are getting the fuel surrounding the community cleaned up and managed,” he says.

The cleanup began at 1 p.m., with volunteers dividing into groups and heading to different work areas. They returned around 4 p.m. for door prizes and a barbecue.
Tarney says the goal is to reduce the amount of fuel available if a wildfire reaches the area.

“If you have less fuel around, when a wildfire does come, the wildfire will be less hot,” he says. “It’ll be less intense.”

Another focus is encouraging residents to complete advanced home assessments. These assessments identify potential wildfire hazards around individual properties and ways homeowners can reduce the risk close to their houses.

Tarney says the community’s FireSmart efforts have changed over the years.
As fuel around the edges of Marten Beach has been removed, there is more opportunity to focus on individual properties.

He says community participation has also increased, along with involvement from firefighters, forestry workers and other organizations.
For Tarney, the work has a personal connection.

“My family’s cabins burned down in Slave Lake in 2011,” he says. “That’s why I’m so motivated to keep FireSmart going, because I do not want that to happen to this community.”

Tarney also recognized the Coutts family during the event. Jamie Coutts attended with his wife and family, including his daughter Sarah Coutts, regional FireSmart coordinator, and a son who serves with the fire department.

Tarney thanked the many groups that have supported the community’s FireSmart efforts, including the Wildfire branch of Forestry, Lesser Slave Regional Fire Service, Gift Lake Development Corporation Firetack crew, the Forestry Helitack crew out of Slave Lake, M.D., Town of Slave Lake, Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation, and Dog Island Brewing.

He says that support has helped the annual cleanup continue to grow.

Next year, Tarney plans to continue working on the three zones that still have significant fuel and encourage more residents to get advanced home assessments.

He also hopes newer residents will become involved as they settle into the community.
Tarney also hopes the amount of fuel that needs to be removed each year will continue to decrease. For him, the work comes down to one goal – protecting Marten Beach.

“We just want to protect our community,” he says.

Julia Magsombol
Lakeside Leader