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Call 310-FIRE (3473) to report a wildfire in a forested area.
Overview
A prescribed fire is the planned and controlled use of fire as a tool to help meet wildfire and forest management objectives. In Alberta, these objectives include reducing combustible fuels that can feed large-scale wildfires, maintaining and enhancing wildlife habitat and promoting healthy and resilient forests.
Prescribed fires are conducted by Alberta Wildfire under conditions that minimize smoke and maximize benefits to the site. Burning can remove dead or diseased vegetation as well as create a mixture of trees and plants of different ages that can help reduce the size and intensity of future wildfires.
Benefits of prescribed fire
Fire is a natural process and a necessary element of healthy, sustainable forests. In the past, the emphasis has been placed on immediately extinguishing all wildfires. This approach has resulted in a buildup of dry and flammable vegetation that can lead to catastrophic wildfires.
Prescribed fire is used to protect communities by reducing the buildup of potential wildfire fuels. Burning away dead debris such as grasses and groundcover close to communities helps to limit the size and intensity of a wildfire threatening a community, infrastructure or other property.
It’s also used to promote forest health and landscape management. Prescribed fire can diversify the growth of vegetation in an area. Burning older trees and vegetation allows room for new growth and encourages a healthier ecosystem. It also helps minimize the spread of forest diseases and insects such as mountain pine beetle.
Prescribed fire is also used for scientific research. Alberta works with several partner agencies to study and better understand the effects of fire on certain types of vegetation and the best tools to control and minimize the impacts of wildfires.
Hazard reduction burn
A hazard reduction burn is a type of prescribed fire used to reduce the threat of wildfire in high-risk areas near communities. Alberta Wildfire, alongside municipal fire departments, carefully plan each burn to remove brush, grass and debris without burning larger vegetation, such as trees.
A typical hazard reduction burn is done in stages, burning strips of vegetation in a systematic pattern, which allows firefighters to control and stop the operation when necessary.
Hazard reduction burns are also conducted near powerline, pipeline and seismic survey right-of-ways. If left unmanaged, these types of infrastructure provide corridors for wildfires to move rapidly. Removing these hazards reduces the risk of wildfire to Albertans and communities.
In addition to reducing the wildfire risk, these burns create or enhance areas that can be used for a variety of firefighting tactics including the use of sprinkler lines, the creation of fireguards or creating areas that helicopters can use for operations.
Current projects
Pelican Mountain Prescribed Fire
Contact
Information line: 1-866-394-3473 (FYI-FIRE)
Media inquiries: 780-420-1968
Email: [email protected]
Download the Alberta Wildfire Status app to your mobile device:
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