The Bow Valley Community Fireguard is a local wildfire mitigation initiative developed by the Town of Canmore in partnership with the MD of Bighorn and Kananaskis Improvement District and with support from Alberta Forestry and Parks. Its purpose is to create a landscape-level firebreak that protects communities like Banff and Canmore by reducing the amount of flammable vegetation in key interface zones between the forest and townsites.

These strategically located fireguards:

• Reduce wildfire intensity and spread near populated areas

• Provide safer zones for wildfire suppression efforts

• Are designed using ecological best practices to maintain wildlife corridors and native biodiversity

The Community Fireguard is an excellent example of FireSmart principles in action at a broader, landscape scale. It complements homeowner and neighborhood-level efforts by addressing larger-scale wildfire threats through fuel reduction and ecosystem-based fire management. However, Fireguards alone are not enough to protect the community. It’s important that everyone does their part to ensure our community is as resilient as possible in the face of a wildfire event.

For more information visit FireSmart Alberta, and learn how you can take action and prepare for this very real climate threat.