Emergency Preparedness
Emergency Preparedness
For emergency assistance, call 911.
Emergency preparedness helps protect people, property, and essential services during unexpected events. The District of Houston maintains an Emergency Response Plan and works with regional and provincial partners to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies such as wildfires, flooding, electrical outages, and severe weather events.
Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility. While the District coordinates emergency planning and response, residents, businesses, and organizations also play an important role by staying informed, planning ahead, and taking steps to reduce risks. The information below outlines how emergencies are managed locally and where to find trusted updates and resources.
To report a wildfire, call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 from a cell phone.
To report all other emergencies, including hazardous material spills, landslides, and floods, call 1-800-663-3456.
Emergency Notices
The District of Houston uses Voyent Alert! as its official public alerting system to share important information during emergencies and other significant events. Notifications may include:
- Evacuation orders or alerts
- Road closures or access restrictions
- Service disruptions
- Urgent public safety information
Public Alerting System – Voyent Alert!
Voyent Alert provides location‑based notifications and allows residents to choose how they receive messages, including by mobile app, text message, email, or phone call. Sign up today to make sure important emergency information is not missed.
Wildfire
Wildfire is a recurring risk in and around the District of Houston, particularly during periods of dry weather and increased temperatures. Wildfires can spread quickly and unpredictably due to winds, terrain, vegetation, and weather conditions.
Residents are encouraged to stay informed about wildfire conditions and take proactive steps to reduce risk to their property and neighbourhood. Preparation before wildfire season can help improve safety and reduce impacts during an emergency.
Northwest Fire Centre
The District of Houston is located within the Northwest Fire Centre, one of six fire management regions overseen by the BC Wildfire Service. The Northwest Fire Centre covers a large geographic area in northwestern British Columbia and is responsible for wildfire preparedness, response, and coordination within the region.
Wildfire activity and fire danger conditions within the Northwest Fire Centre can influence restrictions, response priorities, and resource deployment in and around Houston.
Access real‑time information on wildfire activity, restrictions, air quality, and emergency updates to help you stay informed
FireSmart Program
The District of Houston supports the FireSmart BC Program, which focuses on reducing wildfire risk to homes and neighbourhoods through prevention, education, and mitigation.
Take action today – be FireSmart and help protect your home and community.
FireSmart Home Assessments
With support from grant funding through the Province of BC’s Community Resiliency Investment Program, the District offers FireSmart services within the community, including free FireSmart Home Assessments and access to rebate programs for eligible wildfire mitigation activities.
FireSmart assessments help residents understand how building materials, landscaping, vegetation management, and ongoing property maintenance can influence wildfire behaviour around their home.
Flooding
Flooding may occur in the District of Houston due to rapid snowmelt resulting in high levels of water that can sometimes overwhelm drainage infrastructure systems, leading to flooding. The numerous rivers and creeks that run through our community also have records of historical flooding in the downtown core.
To avoid future floods, the District has one of the largest diking systems in the province. The District also maintains the Henry Creek Pump station, constructed in 2008, which reduces the risk of flooding to approximately 25 homes and one farm in the area.
In 2020, the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) designated lands within the District of Houston as floodplains. This allows the RDBN to ensure that construction within that area can be required to meet specific elevation and setback requirements to reduce or prevent injury or the loss of life, and to minimize property damage, during flood events.
Flood conditions can change quickly during extreme weather events. Monitoring trusted information sources is important during periods of high runoff or intense rainfall.
Emergency Response Plan
The District of Houston maintains an Emergency Response Plan in accordance with provincial legislation. The plan provides a framework for managing emergencies and coordinating response and recovery activities.
Emergency response plans are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changing community risks, updated legislation and standards, and best practices.
Residents and businesses are encouraged to review the District’s Emergency Response Plan to be well informed and prepared in the event of an emergency.
Emergency Resources
Additional emergency preparedness and response information is available through the following trusted regional and provincial resources:
Trusted Regional and Provincial Emergency Alerts and Resources:
- District of Houston Public Alerting System – Voyent Alert!
- Bulkley-Nechako Emergency Information
- RDBN Emergency Operations Centre
- EmergencyInfoBC Current Emergencies
- BC Wildfire Service Current Situation Map
- Fire Prohibitions and Restrictions
- Air Quality Health Index
- DriveBC Road Conditions
- Environment Canada Public Weather Alerts Map
- Environment Canada Weather Forecast
- PreparedBC Emergency Preparedness Guides and Resources
- Emergency Management BC
- Build an Emergency Kit and Grab-and-Go Bag
- Make a Home Emergency Plan
- PreparedBC Informational Videos
- Access Emergency Support Services (ESS)
Livestock and pet owners should have a plan in place to evacuate and care for their animals in the event of an emergency. Consider the following resources to help build a plan: