The town of Lewisporte will build a fire break around the community thanks to funding provided through the provincial government’s Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Program.

The department of Forestry, Agriculture and Lands supplied 58 communities with a share of $2.26 million in funding to help them with wildfire prevention and mitigation.

Municipalities submitted their plans which were reviewed and evaluated based on funding criteria set by Natural Resources Canada.

Lewisporte applied for funding to design and construct a fire break around the community, including a detailed plan, budget and timeline.

A fire break cut near Perry’s Cove last summer is credited, along with the efforts of forestry and local fire departments, with preventing the Conception Bay North fire from spreading south to Salmon Cove, Victoria and beyond.

The department says it expects more applications like that submitted by Lewisporte as Community Wildfire Resiliency Plans are completed.