High Ground Hike: Tsunami preparedness event
Last updated on April 4, 2025
High Ground Hikes are community events held during Tsunami Preparedness Week (the second full week of April each year). The goal is to raise awareness about B.C.'s tsunami risk and give people along the coast an opportunity to practice reaching a tsunami-safe location.
On this page:
Steps to preparedness
If you are near the coast when an earthquake occurs, immediately drop, cover, hold on and then move to higher ground to protect yourself from a potential tsunami.
Now it’s time to practice! Check to see if your community is hosting a High Ground Hike event. Join friends, family and community members to run, walk or hike to “high ground” in your community.
Learn more ways to prepare for earthquakes and tsunamis.
Host a High Ground Hike
Want to raise awareness about tsunami preparedness in your community? We invite coastal First Nations and other local governments in areas at risk of tsunamis to host annual High Ground Hikes during Tsunami Preparedness Week.
Benefits of hosting
As a host community, you’ll be able to educate residents and visitors about:
- The local tsunami risk
- Where to get information in the event of a tsunami
- How to prepare for a tsunami
- The local tsunami risk
- The designated tsunami evacuation route(s)
- The tsunami-safe location(s)
- Where to get information in the event of a tsunami
- The designated tsunami evacuation route(s)
We’re here to help
The Prepared BC team is here to help you organize your High Ground Hike. We can offer:
- 1 on 1 support to answer your questions about the planning process
- Customized High Ground Hike logo with your community name and event date
- Prizes to encourage participation in your community
- Cross promotion to help spread the word
- Printed copies of the following host resources:
- High Ground Hike promotional poster (11 x 17 or 18 x24)
- Earthquake and tsunami safety action poster (11 x17 or 18 x 24)
Host Resources
If you're interested in planning a High Ground Hike, get started with the following promotional materials and resources.
Planning materials
Digital and print materials
High Ground Hike promotional poster:
Earthquake and tsunami safety action poster:
Local events
Join a High Ground Hike in a community near you! More to come.
- Bamfield – April 16
- Bella Coola – May 4
- Colwood with Royal Roads University – April 17
- Huu-ay-aht First Nation – April 16
- Kwakiutl – April 17
- Metchosin - April 15
- Namgis First Nation and Alert Bay – April 16
- Pacheedaht First Nation – April 15
- Piers Island – September
- Port Alberni – April 17
- Port Clements – April 16
- Port Edward – April 12
- Port McNeill – April 15
- Prince Rupert – April 14 to 18 virtual contest
- Salt Spring Island – April 13
- Sooke – April 17
- Stewart – April 26
- Tahsis – April 14
- Tofino – April 11
- Toquaht Nation – June14
- Ucluelet – April 13
- White Rock – April 15
- Zeballos, Oclucje (Nuchatlaht First Nation), Ehatis (Ehattesaht/Chinehkint First Nation) – April 17
Contact us
If you have any questions about running a High Ground Hike, please email us at PreparedBC@gov.bc.ca.