Fire season ahead: What you need to know | 

Aiden Johner, Photo Editor | 

Firewatch

With the cozy winds of spring starting to make its way to Alberta, it can feel like such a relief to feel warm air after five months of winter cold. With that in mind, something else might be popping into Albertan’s heads: the inevitable smoke. Wildfire season in Alberta typically runs from March to October each year, which means that the 2025 wildfire season is already underway. Don’t start panicking yet though, because the Alberta government has plans in place to help prevent fires from starting and from inevitably spreading further. To manage fire risks, Alberta enforces fire bans, conducts prescribed burns, and has implemented a community fireguard program to protect local communities.

Fire bans

As someone who likes to camp and enjoys having s’mores by the fire, I too find myself annoyed that Alberta has so many fire bans. However, it is important to understand that fire bans exist for a reason. In 2024, 50 per cent of the 1,184 wildfires in Alberta were caused by human activity.

Fire bans exist to help keep the risk of wildfires lower. When it comes to fire bans in Alberta, it is important to note that the province is separated into many different areas where different people oversee the implementation of fire bans. Towns and cities have their discretion and can choose to implement bans when they see fit. In the case of provincial parks, those areas are overseen by Alberta Parks.

However, for the majority of the province, the government of Alberta makes decisions through the Forest Protection Area (FPA). The provincial government has four different tiers of fire bans in its fire ban system. Those are fire advisories, restrictions or bans, forest closures, and off-highway vehicle restrictions. The FPA encompasses nearly all of Alberta. Outside of the FPA, every town, city, and forested area in Alberta has its own legislation and can instate a fire ban at their discretion. The Calgary Fire Department is constantly monitoring weather forecasts and conditions to ensure Calgary is ready for any increased fire risk.

In short, these fire bans are put in place to keep the land and the people who live on it safer from the looming threat of wildfires. Fire bans aren’t always able to stop wildfires though as 47 per cent of the wildfires in 2024 were caused by lightning. Stopping human-caused fires is only half the battle, and the province also has systems in place to help mediate the naturally occurring wildfires.

Prescribed fires

If you have never heard of a prescribed fire or a controlled burn, it is essentially a controlled fire started to help prevent the spread of wildfires and restore the health of the ecosystem. It may seem counterintuitive to burn parts of a forest to prevent the spread of wildfires but this practice is used worldwide. Aside from being good for the environment and ecosystems in the area, prescribed fires also reduce the amount of fuel in the form of dead leaves, twigs, branches, dry grass, and fallen logs, that get built up on the forest floor and help sustain and spread fires.

These prescribed burns happen under heavy planning and are very closely monitored to ensure that the fires can remain under control. The Alberta government currently has two projects planned. These consist of one to two prescribed fires each in Ribbon Creek, and Pelican Mountain. While the Ribbon Creek fire would be intended to help prevent the spread of wildfires and help create a healthier ecosystem, the fires started at Pelican Mountain appear to be more for research purposes.

Keepin’ it cool

We live in a province with beautiful scenery, but it can be hard to see it when it is covered in smoke. It’s important that Alberta has systems in place to maintain a healthy ecosystem—and equally as important that you, as an Albertan, keep those systems in mind.

If you are someone who likes camping or just enjoys having a fire in your backyard, it’s good to keep in mind fire safety and respect fire bans. If you intend on having a fire anywhere in the world, make sure to check your local area and find out if there’s a ban or restriction. For those of you who intend on spending some time outdoors, it may be a good idea to keep tabs on wildfires in your area. For those interested, the Government of Alberta has an app on IOS and Android that allows you to keep track of the wildfires throughout the province called AB Wildfires Status.

Aiden Johner is the Photo Editor for The Reflector 2024-2025. He is a third-year Broadcast Media Studies student at Mount Royal University. He knows a lot about cameras and is always trying to help his classmates and co-workers.