City fire chief urges residents to help lower risk of wildfires
Edmonton's fire department has responded to 145 wildfires within the city since January and the fire chief is urging residents to get involved to mitigate the risk of more blazes breaking out.
“We want Edmontonians to know that the city is prepared. But we need your help,” said Joe Zatylny, chief of Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS) at a news conference Tuesday.
The wildfire numbers come in the midst of several grass fires that sparked up around the city. With the dry conditions, Zatylny said wildfire season is a concern for the service, but that it has taken steps to prepare.
Zatylny discussed a shift in the EFRS approach to being proactive from being reactive. EFRS is mitigating fuel sources using tree risk assessments and vegetation management. With a wildfire technician helping to oversee the work, the department aims to make the city safer from wildfires.
As the city shifted its approach, EFRS asked residents to also do their part in proactively making the city safer.
“Everyone — homeowners, property owners and communities — can become FireSmart.”
FireSmart is a national program that has operated for more than 20 years. It provides resources including education, training, and information about how to ensure a space is made resilient against wildfires in wildland-urban interface areas. These areas are essentially where nature meets people, which can put residents at risk for wildfires.
The website can help residents FireSmart their properties to provide the best protection against the spread of a wildfire.
From the outset, Edmonton's wildfire risk could be written off, given the nature of its sprawling metropolitan space. But as Zatylny pointed out, one of Edmonton's greatest assets is actually a large wildfire risk — the North Saskatchewan River valley.
“As it stretches across thousands of hectares of urban forest, it makes for the largest area of its kind in North America. As city administration, we are working diligently throughout the year to prevent, prepare, and respond to fire-related events in this area.”
Within the river valley, Zatylny said the department is paying close attention to encampments since they can create a fire risk because of the use of open-ignition sources for heat or cooking. Zatylny is asking residents who spot encampments with open flames to call the fire department so the service can help.
“We want those people to be looked after, of course, and (we) do our best to make sure that they're supported.”
The department is also asking residents to report backyard ignitions of fireworks, because several fires last year were started by fireworks.
“The likelihood that those are trained events or have a permit, and are the right size of ordinance for that area — it's very unlikely. So we ask that people call and immediately report it.”
Efforts don't stop at physical fuel management. Zatylny also discussed partnerships, training, and resources consulted to make critical decisions regarding wildfires. Two of the main resources included the provincial dashboard and the fire weather index, which help the department determine when to initiate any sweeping fire bans.
Zatylny didn't say whether a fire ban is planned for Edmonton yet but said the situation is being monitored closely.
“We believe there's an opportunity for the public to receive some education, to take some of the initiative with what they can do on their yards. But we're monitoring this system daily and sometimes multiple times a day.”
Zatylny also said that all residents should always have a 72hour “go bag” with essentials for themselves and their families.
“You can ask any of the evacuees that you run into, and they either had it or wish they had it.”