Fire risk expert Al Beaver will give a talk on risk management on Friday, Feb. 1 at the Heritage Playhouse, 662 North Road, Gibsons.
The presentation will cover the global wildfire problem and how it developed, whether those lessons are transferable to the Sunshine Coast, a brief history of wildfires on the Sunshine Coast, and what can be done to manage the risk.
Beaver, president of Wildland Fire Risk Management Ltd., is a subject matter expert in applied science for improved risk management decision-making, with a public and private sector career that spans over 40 years in the fire and emergency risk management business. He has applied this risk management approach across North America, Australia, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, South Africa and Argentina.
Beaver has authored and co-authored publications and was a technical advisor to the Partners in Protection – FireSmart Manual as well as the 2005 Canadian Wildland Fire Strategy.
In 2000, Beaver was the recipient of the International Association of Wildland Fires Fire Safety Achievement Award for his work promoting firefighter and public safety. He has served on numerous committees and task forces, nationally and internationally. He continues to be active in applied fire and risk management science in an advisory and practical capacity, and he instructs in wildland fire behaviour and the wildland urban interface both nationally and internationally.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission is by donation to cover the costs for the theatre, with any extra money raised going to the Heritage Playhouse.
