Applications are open for communities across Canada to apply for the Wildfire Community Preparedness Day award, according to Co-operators.
Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is observed on the first Saturday in May, and in 2026 it will take place on Saturday 2 May, the organization said.
Groups can apply for a $500 award between now and Saturday 31 January 2026 to fund Preparedness Day events scheduled between May and October, Co-operators added.
The campaign encourages residents of all ages to host events and projects that raise awareness of wildfire risk and increase resilience at the home, neighborhood and community level.
FireSmart Canada supports the annual event in collaboration with the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, Co-operators and Canadian provincial and territorial wildfire agencies, the organizers said.
The award includes $500 in funding, a kit of promotional materials and access to FireSmart Canada resources, according to the organizers.
The partners said the campaign is a national call to action for families, individuals and community groups to learn and apply FireSmart principles.
FireSmart Canada marked the tenth anniversary of Wildfire Community Preparedness Day in 2025, the organization said.
More than 400 communities from 10 provinces and two territories received funding for their events in 2025, it added.
Hannah Swift, Director of Prevention and Mitigation at the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, said: “On behalf of FireSmart Canada, I’d like to extend our sincere appreciation to the Co-operators and the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction for their continued support of Wildfire Community Preparedness Day and their commitment to year-round engagement.”
“It also allows us to coordinate better with neighbouring services.”
“Wildfire resilience cannot be achieved by one person or organization alone.”
“When individuals, communities, and partners each contribute, it creates meaningful progress in reducing wildfire risk.”
“On Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, communities are stepping up, taking action, and showing how small, local efforts can lead to lasting change.”
Maya Milardovic, Associate Vice-President of Government Relations at Co-operators, said: “As a co-operative insurer and founding member of Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, we remain committed to working with FireSmart Canada to ensure communities are better equipped to anticipate and mitigate the impact of wildfires and strengthen their resilience.”
“We are excited to continue supporting this important program, in which Canadians across the country will work in their communities to reduce their exposure to the devastating effects of wildfires.”
Paul Kovacs, Executive Director of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, said: “The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction is proud to participate in Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, a vital initiative that brings communities together to reduce wildfire risk and build resilience.”
“We believe that proactive engagement, education, and collaboration are key to protecting lives, property, and the environment in the face of an increasing number of destructive fire events right across the country.”
“This day is a powerful reminder of the role we all play in preparing for and mitigating the impacts of wildfires.”
Communities planning events can schedule activities on Saturday 2 May 2026 or anytime between May and October using award support, the organizers said.
Applications must be submitted by Saturday 31 January 2026 for consideration, according to the organizers.
The partners said award kits and resources are intended to support locally led work that raises awareness of wildfire risk and applies FireSmart principles.
Fire and rescue chiefs, municipal emergency managers and training officers can use the announced timelines to plan community-facing activities tied to Wildfire Community Preparedness Day in 2026.
The application window runs until Saturday 31 January 2026, and eligible activities can be scheduled from May through October with $500 awards and promotional kits available from the organizers.
Facility managers in towns hosting events can reference FireSmart Canada resources supplied with the award to support resident outreach and property-level risk-reduction tasks during the designated period.
Public agencies coordinating with community groups can align preparedness messaging with the first Saturday in May, which falls on Saturday 2 May 2026, and extend programming across the permitted months.
