KAMLOOPS — Wawanesa Insurance is leading the charge as the first insurance company to invest in wildfire-related research at Thompson Rivers University (TRU), strategically located in one of the world’s most active hotspots for wildfire response.
New research on community resilience initially funded by a $75,000 donation from Wawanesa Insurance will be conducted at the B.C. university, adding to the breadth of wildfire-related research currently underway as part of a larger initiative known as TRU Wildfire. TRU Wildfire brings together research, education, training and innovation to offer a solutions-focused and comprehensive approach to current and future wildfire challenges.
“As a leading Canadian owned and operated mutual insurer, we see the growing impact wildfires are having across our country,” said Kimberly Palatnick, senior vice-president and chief personal lines officer at Wawanesa. “Prevention is key to reducing risk and we’re committed to backing efforts that build safer, more resilient communities. We’re proud to be the first insurer to support TRU Wildfire’s critical research and help create new solutions that enable Canadians to better protect what matters most.”
Dr. Will Garrett-Petts
TRU is home to the Institute for Wildfire Science, Adaptation and Resiliency, and is the only Canadian university to have two research chair positions solely dedicated to wildfire science.
“TRU is uniquely situated and committed to delivering research-based solutions that can best inform communities across Canada,” said TRU Vice-President Research Dr. Shannon Wagner.
The Wawanesa Insurance Wildfire Community Resilience Research grant was awarded to Drs. Will Garrett-Petts and Cheryl Gladu with TRU’s Community and Cultural Mapping Research Group to identify what motivates community and neighbourhood uptake on FireSmartTM principles. FireSmart programs educate the Canadian public on preventative measures that protect homes from wildfire.
The project brings together a team of community and academic partners, including municipal staff, arts and culture organizations, TRU faculty, community researchers and university students to address the crucial issue of wildfire mitigation and the awareness gap regarding FireSmart Canada programming.
“Understanding and addressing this awareness gap is crucial for increasing community uptake and participation in wildfire mitigation and prevention — and is, we argue, most acute for smaller communities,” said project co-lead Garrett-Petts.
Dr. Cheryl Gladu
The team will explore perceived risk of damage, prior experience with wildfires, proximity to urban-wildland intermix areas, demographics and the role of incentives.
“We are confident that cultural mapping methods can contribute an even more comprehensive understanding of the current awareness gap, providing a more nuanced, deep assessment of the public perception of fire risk, including public familiarity with FireSmart Canada, in particular at the neighbourhood level,” said Gladu, who is co-leading the research team.
As part of the TRU Wildfire initiative, TRU introduced its first certificates and diplomas in wildfire science and wildfire communications in January, with courses expected to start in September 2025. Learn more at tru.ca/wildfire.
The Wawanesa Insurance Wildfire Community Resilience Research grant is funded through the Wawanesa Climate Champions program, which reinforces the insurer’s annual $2 million commitment to building stronger, more resilient communities. Wawanesa Climate Champions also supports initiatives such as Community Wildfire Prevention Grants to help Canadians access the resources they need to reduce their risk of wildfire-related loss. Learn more at wawanesa.com.
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Contacts:
Jessica Petruk, Senior Communications Consultant
Advancement, University Relations, TRU
250-371-5697 | jpetruk@tru.ca
Michel Rosset, Manager, Corporate Communications and Media Relations
The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
media@wawanesa.com
