Living FireSmart in the Bow Valley

The Bow Valley's stunning landscapes are naturally prone to wildfires. As our communities expand into these wildland areas, the risk to homes and infrastructure increases. Adopting FireSmart principles is essential to enhance our resilience and protect what we cherish.

What is FireSmart?

FireSmart is a comprehensive approach to wildfire prevention and mitigation. It encompasses best practices, educational programs, and community initiatives designed to reduce wildfire risks. By embracing FireSmart, residents, neighborhoods, and local governments collaborate to create safer environments.

  • Reduce the chance of wind-blown embers igniting your home: 

    • Ensure a 1.5 metre non-combustible surface surrounds your home. 

    • Clear vegetation and combustible materials.

    • Avoid planting woody shrubs or trees.

  • Prevent fire from reaching your home: 

    • Plant fire-resistant vegetation and avoid woody debris, including bark mulch.

    • Use non-combustible landscaping materials.

    • Remove combustibles like firewood, construction materials, and patio furniture.

  • Limit the intensity of fire: 

    • Maintain a minimum of 3 metres of horizontal space between evergreen trees.

    • Clear branches lower than 2 metres from the ground.

    • Regularly clean up fallen branches, dry grass, and needles

FireSmart Begins at Home

Homeowners play a pivotal role in wildfire risk reduction. Implementing FireSmart strategies around your property can significantly decrease vulnerability. Key actions include:​

  • Roofing: Opt for fire-resistant materials and ensure roofs are free of combustible debris.​

  • Yard Maintenance: Regularly clear leaves, needles, and other flammable materials.​

  • Vegetation Management: Maintain a defensible space by trimming trees and shrubs, especially within 10 meters of structures.​

For a comprehensive guide check out the FireSmart Fact Sheet.

Request a FireSmart Assessment

FireSmart Home and Property Visits are available in Banff, Canmore, and the MD of Bighorn to help residents assess and reduce wildfire risk around their properties.

Step 1: Complete FireSmart Canada 101 Training

Before requesting an assessment, homeowners and condo board members are required to complete the online FireSmart Canada 101 course. This short, self-paced training provides the essential knowledge needed to understand wildfire risk and the FireSmart approach.

Canmore

Canmore Fire-Rescue offers free FireSmart Home/Property Visits to help residents evaluate and reduce wildfire risks around their homes.

  • A Fire-Rescue team member will visit your property for approximately 60 minutes.

  • You’ll receive customized recommendations to help make your home more wildfire resilient.

  • Assessments are limited to areas within your property lines.

Banff

In Banff, FireSmart Home Assessments are coordinated by the Town of Banff and supported by Parks Canada and Alberta Wildfire.

  • Assessments focus on the home ignition zone—the area within 30 metres of your house.

  • Residents will receive practical advice tailored to the local environment and vegetation.

MD of Bighorn

FireSmart support in the MD of Bighorn is available through municipal emergency services and regional partnerships.

  • Availability may vary by hamlet or location (e.g., Exshaw, Harvie Heights, Dead Man’s Flats).

  • Residents are encouraged to contact the MD office or local fire department to inquire about FireSmart visits and community initiatives.

Community Engagement: Neighbourhood Recognition Program

Collective action amplifies wildfire resilience. The FireSmart Neighbourhood Recognition Program encourages communities to:​

  1. Form Committees: Establish local groups dedicated to FireSmart initiatives.​

  2. Develop Plans: Assess risks and outline mitigation strategies.​

  3. Host Events: Organize educational sessions, clean-up drives, and other community activities.​

Participation not only enhances safety but also fosters community spirit.

FireSmart Peaks

Canmore’s Peaks of Grassi neighborhood is participating in the neighborhood recognition program! They are doing incredible work to bring their neighbors together to ensure the community is more resilient. Check out their website for information on upcoming events, ways you can get involved, and resources to engage your neighborhood!

Bow Valley Community Fireguard

The Bow Valley Community Fireguard is a local wildfire mitigation initiative developed in partnership with Alberta Wildfire, the Town of Banff, Parks Canada, and local stakeholders. 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 neighbourhood-level efforts by addressing larger-scale wildfire threats through fuel reduction and ecosystem-based fire management.

Long-term Bow Valley Fireguard Plan

Fireguards alone are not enough to protect our communities. It’s not the fire front that causes homes to catch fire but embers that can be blown several kilometers from the fire. These embers land on roofs and flammable material in your yard and cause fire to start in our neighborhoods. This is why it’s so important that every resident do their part through FireSmart.

For more information visit FireSmart Alberta.