Edmonton creating wildfire strategy as part of emergency management plan
CBC
The City of Edmonton is developing a wildfire strategy to mitigate risks within the municipality and help neighbouring regions, the city's emergency advisory committee heard Wednesday.
The plan is in the works after a demanding season in 2024, during which city crews, with help from regional and provincial agencies, responded to 28 major events over a six-month period.
"That, I think, is quite staggering," Coun. Keren Tang said during the meeting.
The latest annual report for the city's emergency management program includes staffing reception centres in Edmonton for wildfire evacuees from Fort McMurray, Alta., in May and Jasper, Alta., in July.
The report says 1,845 evacuees registered in Edmonton from Fort McMurray; 2,826 registered from Jasper.
Other major events included crews responding to homeless encampments, staffing Canada Day and New Year's Eve celebrations and NHL playoff games.
David Lazenby, Edmonton's new fire chief, said 2024 was unique for how long crews were responding to events, including core staff at the reception centres.
"Some of the staff that were in there, I'm very proud of them," Lazenby said. "They worked long hours for many, many days and it took its toll."
The city's wildfire strategy will be a coordinated approach to managing wildfire risk long-term, said Kent Snyder, branch manager of planning and environment services, during Wednesday's committee meeting.
It will align with the city's existing best practices through the FireSmart program, "and address increasing wildfire risks due to climate change," Snyder said.
The strategy, which the city aims to finish creating by early 2026, will include managing vegetation, using prescribed burns, imposing fire bans, and involving the community through FireSmart programs, he said.
City staff are reviewing the ability to regulate land use through zoning bylaws, he said, listing landscaping and where structures are positioned on properties as examples.
According to Caitlin Zerebeski, acting branch manager of city operations, the strategy will incorporate how housing and vegetation live side by side in the Edmonton region, making some areas more vulnerable.
"This creates a complex environment," Zerebeski told the committee. "Edmonton's River Valley and surrounding neighborhoods exemplify a wildfire urban interface."
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