One step forward for every two steps back. Despite pronouncements from the Alberta government that it has increased spending on fighting wildfires, an investigation by the Western Standard has shown otherwise.While the Alberta government did increase spending on wildfire firefighting in Budget 2024, it came after successive years of cuts. Social media users said its past actions could have prevented a situation like the one from the last few weeks from happening if it were not for certain changes. All three levels of government share some responsibility for dealing with the wildfires. However, the Alberta government has sizeable jurisdiction for managing them. The Alberta government ended an initiative for firefighters who head down from helicopters to stop wildfires in 2019. Former Alberta forestry minister Devin Dreeshen said firefighters have been rappelling into less than 2% of the province's wildfires and that the government was trying to alter its wildfire response and resemble the strategies other provinces have. “We found it's better to utilize their ground work, and that's why we've made the decision to have them on the ground fighting alongside the hundreds of other wildfire personnel that we have,” said Dreeshen to The Canadian Press. The Alberta government said in 2019 budget cuts would lead to between 15 and 30 of the province’s 127 wildfire lookout towers having no staff inside them. It would be scaling back its air tanker program, dropping the fleet from eight to seven groups. In 2014, Alberta had nine air tanker groups, with each of them having an airplane and a lead pilot. The Alberta government made a 10% cut to the seasons of wildfire personnel in 2022, leading to later contract start dates and earlier end dates. This reduction would entail firefighters, radio dispatchers, lookout observers, logistics technicians, and other staff continuing to do training when Alberta would be facing down wildfires. “The fire hazard has increased to be earlier in the spring and later in the fall, and that is precisely when they have cut tower seasons,” said a veteran lookout observer to the Narwhal. The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) said the government has failed to address the root problem with its spending on wildfire response services. “The province is not doing enough to attract and retain experienced wildland firefighters,” said AUPE Vice President James Gault. “New drones and night vision goggles may help us fight fires, but that means nothing if we don’t have experienced teams of boots on the ground.”Alberta Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen held a press conference in March to reiterate what the government has budgeted for the 2024-2025 wildfire season. However, AUPE said its emphasis on new technology and seasonal contracts does not address Alberta Wildfire having insufficient funds for recruitment and retention. The Alberta government said in February Budget 2024 protects the environment and safeguards communities and the economy from challenges such as wildfires, floods and droughts. READ MORE: ALBERTA BUDGET 2024: Preparing for natural disasters“We have a responsible plan that will help protect Albertans and their communities from situations like natural disasters,” said Alberta Treasury Board President and Finance Minister Nate Horner.To deal with wildfires, the Alberta government said $151 million in additional operating expenses over the next three years will improve the province’s wildfire response readiness, enhance night operations, support volunteer and community wildfire response programs, provide additional airtanker support and provide additional resources to fight wildfires. Arctic Fire Safety Services Ltd. President Kris Liivam said in May no Wildland Urban Interface contractors were deployed during the recent wildfire evacuations in Alberta. READ MORE: Firefighting company president accuses Alberta government of poor wildfire managementInstead, the Alberta government chose to deploy municipal fire services. “This job-killing action also put those responding communities at extreme risk, as most answering fire departments also shared the same tinder dry conditions during that time,” said Liivam. Jasper caught on fire on July 24, with a popular lodge and many other buildings in the town up in flames. READ MORE: UPDATED: Town of Jasper ablaze, fire reaches historic Park Lodge, military on the wayParks Canada Incident Commander Katie Ellsworth and Municipality of Jasper Incident Commander Christine Nadon confirmed parts of the southern wildfire in Jasper National Park have found their way into the town’s limits. “At just before 6 p.m. this evening, portions of the South Fire in Jasper National Park reached the outskirts of the Jasper townsite after being driven by strong winds gusts from the south and southeast,” said Ellsworth and Nadon.
One step forward for every two steps back. Despite pronouncements from the Alberta government that it has increased spending on fighting wildfires, an investigation by the Western Standard has shown otherwise.While the Alberta government did increase spending on wildfire firefighting in Budget 2024, it came after successive years of cuts. Social media users said its past actions could have prevented a situation like the one from the last few weeks from happening if it were not for certain changes. All three levels of government share some responsibility for dealing with the wildfires. However, the Alberta government has sizeable jurisdiction for managing them. The Alberta government ended an initiative for firefighters who head down from helicopters to stop wildfires in 2019. Former Alberta forestry minister Devin Dreeshen said firefighters have been rappelling into less than 2% of the province's wildfires and that the government was trying to alter its wildfire response and resemble the strategies other provinces have. “We found it's better to utilize their ground work, and that's why we've made the decision to have them on the ground fighting alongside the hundreds of other wildfire personnel that we have,” said Dreeshen to The Canadian Press. The Alberta government said in 2019 budget cuts would lead to between 15 and 30 of the province’s 127 wildfire lookout towers having no staff inside them. It would be scaling back its air tanker program, dropping the fleet from eight to seven groups. In 2014, Alberta had nine air tanker groups, with each of them having an airplane and a lead pilot. The Alberta government made a 10% cut to the seasons of wildfire personnel in 2022, leading to later contract start dates and earlier end dates. This reduction would entail firefighters, radio dispatchers, lookout observers, logistics technicians, and other staff continuing to do training when Alberta would be facing down wildfires. “The fire hazard has increased to be earlier in the spring and later in the fall, and that is precisely when they have cut tower seasons,” said a veteran lookout observer to the Narwhal. The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) said the government has failed to address the root problem with its spending on wildfire response services. “The province is not doing enough to attract and retain experienced wildland firefighters,” said AUPE Vice President James Gault. “New drones and night vision goggles may help us fight fires, but that means nothing if we don’t have experienced teams of boots on the ground.”Alberta Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen held a press conference in March to reiterate what the government has budgeted for the 2024-2025 wildfire season. However, AUPE said its emphasis on new technology and seasonal contracts does not address Alberta Wildfire having insufficient funds for recruitment and retention. The Alberta government said in February Budget 2024 protects the environment and safeguards communities and the economy from challenges such as wildfires, floods and droughts. READ MORE: ALBERTA BUDGET 2024: Preparing for natural disasters“We have a responsible plan that will help protect Albertans and their communities from situations like natural disasters,” said Alberta Treasury Board President and Finance Minister Nate Horner.To deal with wildfires, the Alberta government said $151 million in additional operating expenses over the next three years will improve the province’s wildfire response readiness, enhance night operations, support volunteer and community wildfire response programs, provide additional airtanker support and provide additional resources to fight wildfires. Arctic Fire Safety Services Ltd. President Kris Liivam said in May no Wildland Urban Interface contractors were deployed during the recent wildfire evacuations in Alberta. READ MORE: Firefighting company president accuses Alberta government of poor wildfire managementInstead, the Alberta government chose to deploy municipal fire services. “This job-killing action also put those responding communities at extreme risk, as most answering fire departments also shared the same tinder dry conditions during that time,” said Liivam. Jasper caught on fire on July 24, with a popular lodge and many other buildings in the town up in flames. READ MORE: UPDATED: Town of Jasper ablaze, fire reaches historic Park Lodge, military on the wayParks Canada Incident Commander Katie Ellsworth and Municipality of Jasper Incident Commander Christine Nadon confirmed parts of the southern wildfire in Jasper National Park have found their way into the town’s limits. “At just before 6 p.m. this evening, portions of the South Fire in Jasper National Park reached the outskirts of the Jasper townsite after being driven by strong winds gusts from the south and southeast,” said Ellsworth and Nadon.
