Fighting against the flames: Alberta prepares for the upcoming wildfire season

With Alberta's wildfire season just around the corner, the government has begun preparations, focusing on fireguard construction.

Increasing wildfire prevention in the Bow Valley has long been a priority for Canmore and nearby communities, though a lack of funding has delayed many preventative measures in the past.

The Community Fireguard Program, launched in 2023, has received additional support from the province, with $19 million allocated tover the past two years.

This funding has allowed for the expansion of preventative projects aimed at helping Albertans.

Work on fireguard construction will continue, involving a combination of mechanical tree removal and forest thinning.

The entire fireguard is expected to be completed over the next three to five years. Work on the Bow Valley community fireguard commenced in the fall of 2024.

"With the tragedy that has recently struck our friends in Jasper and the devastation currently being felt in California, our resolve to act in the face of wildfire risk has only been strengthened," said Canmore Mayor Sean Krausert.

In preparation for the 2025 wildfire season, the province is also advancing other fireguard projects, including those in Whitecourt and Hinton.

In Swan Hills, the focus is on cleaning up debris from fireguard construction completed in 2023.

"Wildfires can spread much more quickly and intensely when there's a buildup of combustible materials that can easily ignite when the wildfire risk is high," said Todd Loewen, forestry and parks minister.

Roughly 200 hectares of forest will be harvested, with an additional 116 hectares thinned to create a buffer zone between wildland and communities such as Banff and Canmore.

"Decades of fire suppression have left Alberta's forests aging and vulnerable to wildfires, causing them to catch and spread rapidly," Loewen said.

Over 700,000 hectares of Alberta terrain were burned last year, with a record-breaking 1,210 wildfires reported.

The most significant damage occurred in the town of Jasper. The Jasper fires caused $880 million in insured damages, and forced 5,000 residents and 20,000 visitors to evacuate.

With Alberta's wildfire season approaching again, Krausert says "it's the most prepared we've ever been."