Fire activity on WWF023 (Whitecourt Forest Area) on May 13, 2023. (Image Credit: Alberta Wildfire)

By Josh Hall

1,225 wildfires last year

Alberta launches new wildfire mitigation strategy

Mar 6, 2026 | 2:33 PM

As wildfire season begins, the province says it is launching a new mitigation strategy.

A release notes the strategy aligns with the national Canadian Wildland Fire Prevention and Mitigation Strategy, but addresses Alberta’s unique landscape and community needs.

“Mitigating the negative impacts of wildfires on our communities, forests and infrastructure is a key priority for Alberta’s government,” says Todd Loewen, Ministry of Forestry and Parks.

“Through the Alberta Wildfire Mitigation Strategy, we will strengthen public safety and help people living in Alberta become better informed and prepared for wildfire. Through education, risk reduction and partnerships, this strategy helps us bring all our available tools to bear to create a more wildfire resilient Alberta.”

The Alberta Wildfire Mitigation Strategy sets out six key themes:

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• Increasing knowledge and understanding of wildfire risks.
• Strengthening community and Indigenous partnerships.
• Reviewing legislation, policy and governance.
• Pursuing enhanced technology and innovation.
• Integrating wildfire mitigation in landscape planning.
• Prioritizing hazardous fuels management.

“As wildfires become more frequent and severe, the owners and operators of the electric transmission and distribution networks in Alberta’s highest-risk areas – AltaLink, ATCO and FortisAlberta – have formed the Alberta Wildfire Utility Coalition,” reads a statement from the Alberta Wildfire Utility Coalition.

“The coalition supports the Alberta Wildfire Mitigation Strategy and looks forward to working with the Government of Alberta and our community partners to focus on preparation, resilience and mitigation efforts that can reduce the likelihood and the impact of wildfires in Alberta.”

Mitigation efforts already underway:

• Through the community fireguard program, 23 detailed community fireguard plans and four community fireguard construction projects were approved.
• Since 2013, funding has supported completion of 630 FireSmart projects, benefiting 178 Alberta communities.
• In 2025, Forestry and Parks completed 20 hazard-reduction burns and one wildlife-habitat-improvement prescribed fire for a total of 1,051 hectares of area burned.
• The implementation of the Community Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program in 2025 saw more than 1,300 hectares of hazardous fuels removed around some of the most at-risk communities in Alberta.

“Alberta’s Wildfire Mitigation Strategy is a meaningful step in Canada’s collective effort to reduce risk from wildland fire,” Hannah Swift, director of prevention and mitigation, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, said.

“By aligning provincial action with the Canadian Wildland Fire Prevention and Mitigation Strategy, Alberta is advancing a whole-of-society approach that strengthens community resilience and prioritizes proactive, risk-based mitigation to protect people and landscapes.”

A total of 27 wildfires have already been responded to this year.

There were 1,225 wildfires in 2025, 60 per cent of which were human-caused, and three per cent remain under investigation. More than 681,000 hectares burned, slightly less than 2024, and far below the 2.2 million burned in 2023, but well above 2022, 2021, and 2020.

There were 31 winter wildfires between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31.