Calgary Develops Urban Wildfire Strategy Amid Rising Grass Fires
Calgary is taking proactive steps to address the growing threat of wildfires within city limits, with the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) developing its first comprehensive urban wildfire strategy. This initiative comes as the number of grass fires in Calgary increases and more residential neighborhoods are built adjacent to forested areas, grasslands, river valleys, and large parks.
Strategy in Early Development Stages
CEMA Chief Sue Henry confirmed the plan is currently "still in its infancy" during her presentation of the annual emergency preparedness report to the city council's emergency management committee. "We know our summers are getting hotter and drier," Henry stated after the meeting. "We know our communities are growing and building out into some of the more wildland urban interface areas."
The agency initiated the wildland urban interface strategy at the end of 2025 and is currently in an information-gathering phase. "We're in an information-gathering stage where we'll be able to see the gaps once we've gathered all the information," Henry explained. The strategy aims to bring the entire agency together to create an overarching plan that identifies potential mitigation measures and areas for improvement.
Addressing Growing Risks
Henry emphasized that certain Calgary neighborhoods situated beside natural areas face higher risks of localized wildfires. While this represents the municipal government's first formal wildfire mitigation framework, Henry noted that some city business units already address wildfire risk through existing practices, such as vegetation clearing in public parks.
"What we're doing is bringing the entire agency together to do an overarching strategy to make sure that we understand all of the impacts, we understand potential mitigation, and if there's other areas that we can improve as an agency," Henry said regarding the comprehensive approach.
CEMA's Broader Emergency Preparedness Efforts
Henry's presentation also highlighted CEMA's broader emergency response activities throughout 2025, which included:
- Coordinating security for the G7 Summit in Kananaskis Country last June
- Managing a hazardous materials response after the discovery of potentially explosive substances near Macleod Trail in August
- Addressing the repeat rupture of the Bearspaw South feeder main on December 30, 2025
Calgary's emergency operations centre was activated for 13 days in 2025 to coordinate response efforts for these incidents, with eight of those days dedicated to preplanned events including G7 preparations.
Enhanced Emergency Planning
CEMA refined its strategic approach in 2025 by integrating lessons learned from past emergencies, reassessing disaster risks, and preparing for anticipated increased demands in 2026. The agency also revised Calgary's Municipal Emergency Plan to include enhanced response capacity.
"Folks will remember 2024 was a big year for us with lots of different events, so a huge part of the focus last year was making sure that all of the lessons that we had learned from those events were incorporated into what we do now," Henry noted, emphasizing the continuous improvement of emergency preparedness measures.
The development of Calgary's urban wildfire strategy represents a significant step in addressing the evolving challenges posed by climate change and urban expansion into natural areas, ensuring the city is better prepared for potential wildfire emergencies within its boundaries.
