28 July 2025
The Kamloops Museum and Archives and Thompson Rivers University are excited to present HOT TOPIC, a new exhibition and cultural mapping of the FireSmart™ program, now open at the Kamloops Museum and Archives until Saturday, August 30, 2025.
The mapping is part of a fire awareness research project involving Thompson Rivers University, the Kamloops Museum and Archives, the Kamloops Art Gallery, the United Way, and the City of Kamloops’ FireSmart™ Program. Residents are invited to share their experience of wildfires by creating personal maps to help inform research about what Kamloops residents know or need to know about fires.
“Research tells us that the more we know about fires, the better prepared we are to prevent and fight them. Participants’ maps will help to create a collective picture of community knowledge, or gaps in knowledge, which can help strengthen fire mitigation programs like FireSmart,” said Will Garrett-Petts, project co-leader, Thompson Rivers University.
“We are seeking to identify and better understand what motivates community and neighborhood uptake of FireSmart principles,” added Garrett-Petts. “We are grateful for the opportunity to help raise awareness and build a culture of safety and resilience in a manner that is both inclusive and accessible.”
The exhibit features an array of historical artifacts on loan from Kamloops Fire Rescue, photographs from the archives, and an area to engage in the mapping experience. Thompson Rivers University student researchers will guide participants through the mapping exercise and conduct short interviews with participants about their maps. Participants have the option of having their maps shared as part of the exhibition.
“This is an important and meaningful collaboration for the Kamloops Museum and Archives. To be able to offer the exhibition space for the community to convene and be engaged in the context of fire in our area will further our understanding of how fires impact our lives on every level,” said Julia Cyr, the city’s museum supervisor.
The city’s FireSmart Liaison Kathleen Cahoon says the exhibit contributes to an important conversation.
“This exhibit offers valuable insight into how our community understands and engages with the FireSmart program. FireSmart is a shared responsibility between governments and residents—small steps can make a huge impact in protecting your home,” said Cahoon.
HOT TOPIC is open to the public until Saturday, August 30, 2025. The Kamloops Museum and Archives is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, and is located at 207 Seymour Street.
The research team gratefully acknowledges funding for this project through the Wawanesa Insurance Wildfire Community Resilience Research Grant.
To find more information on the exhibition and related programs, visit KamloopsMuseum.ca.