Coquitlam puts $200k toward reducing wildfire risk on Westwood Plateau

Facing a high risk and a funding shortfall, Coquitlam council voted unanimously Monday to put $200,000 toward clearing brush and cutting the chance of a wildfire on Westwood Plateau.

The “strategic removal of forest vegetation” from three key areas was initially set to cost $239,000, although that may be an underestimate, according to a city staff report.

Coquitlam looked for Union of B.C. Municipalities to help pay for the work, applying for a grant in 2025.

UBCM offered Coquitlam $163,000, leaving the city grappling with a $76,000 shortfall.

The organization initially asked Coquitlam to: “reassess existing fuel loads and reduction targets,” according to a city staff report.

When prodded about more money, UBCM told the city fuel treatment funding was off the table for 2026 and future funding would be: “unlikely to return given the financial pressures facing the provincial government.”

With the clock ticking on the initial $163,000 grant, staff recommended the city pay the extra costs.

Coquitlam voted unanimously Monday to provide the extra cash.

The three areas include one swath touching Eagle Mountain Drive near the golf course as well as two areas near Parkway Boulevard and Panorama Drive.

“The treatment areas are all immediately adjacent to residential neighbourhoods. In several locations, homes are situated uphill from dense vegetation, increasing their vulnerability to wildfire,” according to a city staff report.

The work is set to be done over the next two years.