The RMA’s Wildfire Working Group (WWG) had its fourth meeting on September 20, 2024. The mandate of the WWG is to develop a strategy to manage wildfires outside the Forest Protection Area (FPA), as called for by the RMA resolution 7-23F: Strategy for Management of Wildland Fires Outside Forest Protection Area. Members of the WWG represent:
- Brazeau County
- Leduc County
- Parkland County
- Westlock County
- ABmunis
- Alberta Fire Chiefs Association
- Alberta Forest Products Association
- Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA)
- Alberta Forestry and Parks
- Alberta Environment and Protected Areas
- Alberta Municipal Affairs
- The WWG is chaired by RMA District 3 Director John Burrows and co-chaired by RMA District 4 Director Karen Rosvold
In this meeting, working group members had an in-depth discussion on the recovery phase of a wildfire. The group shared resources that exist for communities following a disaster event and identified gaps in tools and services available. The WWG will meet to discuss the specific recommendations to be made, but one of the key findings during this discussion was that successful recovery requires significant planning before an emergency event. This brings the discussions of the WWG full circle, as the group started their work discussing preparedness recommendations.
Delegations
The WWG had the opportunity to meet with representatives from the Confederation of Treaty Six First Nations and Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation (AGI). Through the Treaty Six discussion, opportunities for mutual aid and training were identified. These opportunities will be explored in the final WWG report. The AGI presentation led to discussions around how to manage livestock during a wildfire, including best practices to ensure the safety of livestock and farmers.
Next Steps
The WWG will take a break from monthly meetings to allow for the preparation of a draft report. The goal is for the WWG to meet in early 2025 to review the final draft report, which will then be shared broadly.
Warren Noga
Policy Advisor
825.319.2285
warren@RMAlberta.com
Wyatt Skovron
General Manager of Policy & Advocacy
780.955.4096
wyatt@RMAlberta.com