My Perspective: Whistler's Approach to Wildfire Resilience
- Nick Soverel
- Jun 21
- 4 min read
Whistler faces real, well-documented wildfire risk – yet a recent report suggests homeowner sprinklers and landscaping are sufficient protection. In this article, I push back on that claim: drawing on fire history, regional research, and FireSmart principles to make the case that no one- or two-pronged solution will hold when a medium or large wildfire hits. Effective resilience demands a whole-of-community response – and Whistler is already 20 years into building one.
Background
A recent 2026 report authored by Dr. Rhonda Milliken was released with the title: ‘A Wildfire
Resilient Option for Whistler’s Wildfire Mitigation’. Milliken’s report focuses on two principal
theses: the first is that Whistler’s wildfire risk is not as serious as wildfire experts are telling the community. The second is that Whistler homeowners should focus efforts on their properties, installing remote-controlled sprinklers and planting or maintaining healthy landscaped vegetation on or around their properties.
I provide this summary as a response to Milliken’s report.
The Risk of Wildfire to Whistler
Contrary to Milliken’s first assertion, the evidence for post-European wildfire activity in the
Whistler area is well documented. The below resources, all produced by the Whistler Museum, provide context to Whistler’s wildfire history:
Whistler Wildfire History, 1919-1999¹
Whistler's Wildfire Past: Alpine Meadows is Burning², and
Whistler's Wildfire Past, part 2: Burned into the Landscape's Memory³.
The Sea to Sky area has experienced wildfires more recently as well. In 2025, the Dryden Creek wildfire in Squamish burned approximately 70 ha. Whistler was more directly impacted when a wildfire burned through 30 ha of forest on Blackcomb Mountain in 2009.
The 2015 Elaho fire⁴ which occurred approximately 30 km from Whistler, burned 12,523 ha with most growth occurring overnight with observed rates of spread of 26-27 meters per minute which converts to about 1.5 km per hour!⁵
Daniel Perrakis (wildland fire researcher at Natural Resources Canada) and co-authors found that on southern Vancouver Island, simulated fire sizes were typically less than 100 ha in size but did reach a maximum size of 2,800 ha. Southern Vancouver Island has a relatively similar climate and forest ecosystem type to the Whistler area and provides a possible window into Whistler’s fire regime. Perrakis found that simulations demonstrated wildfires equal to or greater than 10 ha occurring every 4.3 years and wildfires equal to or greater than 200 ha occurring every 21.1 years. Perrakis further outlines that the risk of devastating large wildfires will increase in step with climate change.
There is therefore ample historical evidence that Whistler is at risk from a range of wildfire events, including small (< 50 ha), medium (50 – 1,500 ha), and potentially large devastating wildfires (>1,500 ha). A large wildfire (>1,500 ha) could have devastating impacts to hundreds of homes, drinking water sources, bridges, and the local economy. Even a medium sized wildfire would have serious negative consequences to the community.
A Multi-Option, All-of-Society Approach
Milliken provides two principal options focused on homeowners: the installation of remote-controlled sprinkler systems and the planting or maintenance of sufficient plant cover via landscaping. The premise is that if homeowners collectively invest in these two solutions, they can prevent the need for a whole community evacuation.
Although Milliken provides two options to reduce wildfire risk to homeowners, these options will be ineffective when a medium or large wildfire event occurs within or around the community of Whistler.
A sprinkler system can be an important step in reducing some risk to homes; however, this step must be coordinated with other options to appreciably reduce risk at the home, neighbourhood, and community-scale. Sprinkler systems, especially when many are turned on, would require adequate water supply. This can put a community's municipal water supply at greater risk of depletion while an 'off the grid' system with independent supplies is likely to be insufficient for days or weeks of an active wildfire.
Landscaping in combination with sprinklers may reduce wildfire risk to some homes or neighbourhoods; however, it is highly unlikely that these actions alone will be effective during large or intense wildfires.
The solution to the wildfire crisis is not a one or two silver bullet solution, it is one that will require an all-society approach involving the cooperation of homeowners, RMOW staff, forest managers, and non-RMOW organizations. Wildfire experts have collectively agreed that in order to effectively reduce a community's wildfire risk and increase its inherent wildfire resilience, a community must simultaneously address all seven FireSmart disciplines⁶:
Education,
Vegetation Management,
Legislation and Planning,
Development Considerations,
Interagency Cooperations,
Cross-Training, and
Emergency Planning.
Homeowners have an important part to play in Whistler's wildfire resilience and risk reduction. Homeowners who are concerned about their wildfire risk should contact a local FireSmart expert to request a site visit and consultation. A FireSmart expert may agree that installation of a sprinkler system and modifications to landscaping are a good option for your home. They are likely to recommend additional options.
RMOW's 2026 Community Wildfire Resilience Plan Update
Whistler has participated in community wildfire risk reduction since about 2005. During this 20-year period, the community has closely paralleled an all-society approach, addressing all seven of the previously outlined FireSmart disciplines. For the past four years, the RMOW has closely followed and has accomplished many of the action items outlined in its Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan. This Plan includes recommendations and action items that span all seven of the FireSmart disciplines – one of which includes recommendations for homeowner’s sprinkler systems and installation and maintenance of FireSmart landscaping.
The RMOW is currently developing an updated Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan to continue the whole of society approach to wildfire risk mitigation. This update will refresh the current CWRP, providing more context on Whistler’s current and future wildfire risk as well as integrated, collaborative action items spanning all seven of the FireSmart disciplines.
Stay Connected
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on the latest industry trends, sustainable forestry practices, and important news from Frontera Forest Solutions Inc.
Frontera Forest Solutions is a forestry consultancy located in North Vancouver, British Columbia. With clients all around Western Canada, Frontera specializes in helping communities develop wildfire resiliency though innovative forest management an urban forestry, grant writing and training and curriculum development.
To explore how we can work with your community, reach out here.
Comments