Calgary's Emergency Management Agency is ramping up preparations to defend the city against the growing threat of urban wildfires, presenting an ambitious new strategy that represents a significant shift in how the city approaches disaster preparedness.
The move came as CEMA officials briefed the emergency management committee this week on their annual report, outlining a comprehensive reassessment of the city's most pressing vulnerabilities. The agency has identified three major risk categories: critical infrastructure threats, weather-related hazards, and human-induced emergencies.
"What we're doing is bringing the entire agency together to do an overreaching strategy to make sure that we understand all of the impacts and potential mitigation," explained Susan Henry, Chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency.
The urban wildfire strategy remains in early development stages, but officials are already taking concrete action. Calgary Parks has begun targeted vegetative clearing efforts to reduce fuel loads around the city, while Calgary Fire Service—already well-trained in wildfire response—continues gathering critical data to identify operational gaps.
"We're in an information gathering stage where we'll be able to see the gaps once we've gathered all the information," Chief Henry said of the initiative.
Experts say a coordinated, city-wide approach could be transformative. Jen Beverly, an associate professor of wildland fire at the University of Alberta, points to the strategic value of integrated planning.
"They can look at zoning to sequence the evacuation process to try and avoid traffic bottlenecks," Beverly noted. "There can also be preparedness planning around cross training and inter-agency coordination."
City council members on the committee praised CEMA's proactive approach. Ward 4 Councillor DJ Kelly emphasized the importance of preparing for multiple scenarios, noting that future emergencies remain unpredictable.
"You have to prepare for all potentialities," Kelly said. "Because you never know what the one is that's going to pop up in 2026, or 2027."
The committee voted 7-1 in favour of accepting CEMA's report, signalling strong municipal support for the expanded wildfire preparedness initiative. As Alberta grapples with increasingly severe fire seasons, Calgary's comprehensive planning may serve as a model for other urban centres across the province.
This article originally reported by Global News. Read the original story at Global News.