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Preamble:
WHEREAS wildfires pose a significant threat to rural municipalities in Alberta, endangering lives, property, and the environment; and
WHEREAS the rugged terrain and expansive forests found within many rural municipalities increase both the complexity of wildfire management and the urgency of preventative measures; and
WHEREAS wildfire seasons are growing increasingly longer and more intense, placing a significant strain on provincial and municipal wildfire resources; and
WHEREAS railways operate extensive railway infrastructure throughout Alberta, intersecting with wildland areas prone to fires; and
WHEREAS railway operations could result in the creation of fires; and
WHEREAS the implementation of effective mitigation measures during train movement could significantly reduce the occurrence and severity of wildfires in affected areas;
Operative Clause:
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) advocate for the governments of Alberta and Canada to work with railway companies to enhance railway wildfire mitigation strategies and procedures; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the RMA advocate for railway companies to ensure adequate fire suppression assets follow trains during train movement within high fire risk areas during fire season as a means of mitigating wildfires.
Member Background:
Wildfires have historically been a recurring challenge for rural municipalities in Alberta, posing a threat to public safety, property, and natural resources. With many rural municipalities containing areas of high fire risk, and given the growing threat and scope of wildfires, we are looking to mitigate these events through multiple avenues. One of these avenues is fire mitigation within railway operations, which have been identified as potential contributors to wildfire ignition due to factors such as sparks generated during train movement.
Despite the existence of corresponding regulations such as Transport Canada’s Railway Extreme Heat and Fire Risk Mitigation Rules, recent incidents and developments, including high-profile wildfires and public concern over railway-related wildfire risks have underscored the urgency of revisiting wildfire mitigation strategies across all avenues, including railway operations.
It is worth noting that railway companies have made developments related to firefighting and mitigation, such as the implementation of extreme heat fire mitigation plans, and incorporating specialized firefighting trains into their fleets. Nonetheless, it is too early to fully understand the impact these will have on overall fire mitigation.
One specific avenue of enhancing railway wildfire mitigation is to advocate for railways to revert to the process of wildland fire mitigation followed up during train movement within areas of high fire risk. This would involve the use of fire suppression assets which would follow trains in high fire risk areas to quickly put out fires as they are created before they reach a substantial size. This is different from the above-mentioned firefighting trains, which are limited in quantity, and have a larger focus of fighting more established fires.
The impacts of wildfires in rural Alberta are profound, ranging from ecological damage and loss of biodiversity to threats to public safety, property, and livelihoods. Additionally, smoke and air pollution resulting from wildfires can have adverse effects on public health. By enhancing fire mitigation strategies and procedures across a wide range of potential contributors such as railway operations, we can proactively work to limit the threats posed by wildfires within Alberta.
Resources:
CN Fire Risk Mitigation Plan:
https://www.cn.ca/-/media/files/your-industry/customer-reports/cn-extreme-weather-plan-en.pdf
CN New Firefighting Trains:
https://www.cn.ca/en/news/2024/05/cn-launches-new-firefighting-trains-to-help-protect-supply-chain
Rail Transportation Safety Investigation Report:
https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/rail/2021/r21v0144/r21v0144.html
Sparks from CN Train to Blame for Wildfires:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/brush-fires-train-tracks-edmonton-cn-rail-1.5286886
Transport Canada Railway Extreme Heat and Fire Risk Mitigation Rules:
https://tc.canada.ca/en/rail-transportation/rules/railway-extreme-heat-fire-risk-mitigation-rules
TSB Warns of Locomotive Wildfire Risk:
Transportation Safety Board of Canada Common Causes of Fire in Canada’s Rail Transportation Sector:
https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/medias-media/fiches-facts/r21v0143/r21v0143-20210715.html
RMA Background:
RMA has no active resolutions directly related to this issue.
Natural Resources Canada
Thank you for your correspondence of November 25th, 2024, addressed to the Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, about RMA Fall 2024 Resolution 9-24F: Reinforcing Railway Fire Mitigation procedures. As the lead for NRCan’s Wildland Fire Risk Management Program, I am responding on behalf of Minister Wilkinson.
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is mandated to conduct science-based research and other activities that support wildland fire resilience (response/operations, preparedness, prevention, mitigation, and recovery). To that end, we work closely with provinces and territories to transform national approaches to wildland fire management. This includes delivery of the Fighting and Managing Wildland Fire in a Changing Climate program (which is helping provinces and territories acquire and update needed firefighting equipment and training hundreds of new wildland firefighters across the country), and the Wildfire Resilient Futures Initiative (which, includes a focus on enhancing community-based resilience). Recently, through the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, we also worked to establish Canada’s first ever Wildland Fire Prevention and Mitigation Strategy. The strategy recognizes the importance of a whole-of-society engagement and the need for combined efforts from all sectors of society to build a more wildland fire resilient society.
The RMA’s interest in working with railway companies demonstrates the important role for whole-of-society can play in wildland fire risk management. I am unable to speak directly to the issue of railway company activities in relation to wildland fire mitigation, but I note that your resolution also identifies Transport Canada as an additional federal contact. Transport Canada is best positioned to provide response on rail companies’ wildfire mitigation procedures, resources, and other activities. I have copied my Transport Canada colleagues on this response, for their awareness.
You may be interested in knowing that I met with RMA officials in April for a discussion on NRCan wildland fire risk assessments tools and services and the Wildland Fire Resilient Futures initiative. I would be pleased to have any additional conversations related to CFS’ wildfire risk management science, policy, and program activities, if the RMA is interested.
Alberta Emergency Management Agency
Thank you for sending the RMA Resolution regarding railway safety for our consideration. I appreciate the interest of RMA and your member communities in community safety and resiliency.
The Alberta Emergency Management Agency is not involved in the federal or provincial regulation of rail systems.
I trust that the other ministries and levels of government that you have contacted on the topic will advise of their respective roles and responsibilities for rail safety.
Alberta Forestry and Parks
The Government of Alberta also recognizes the risk of fires caused by railways and is working with railway stakeholders to mitigate those hazards.
Railway companies operate under federal regulatory jurisdiction within the province of Alberta. Although the Government of Alberta has limited regulatory authority regarding railway operations, the Forest and Prairie Protection Act require railway operators take immediate action to fight and extinguish wildfires on rail right of ways and report fires to local authorities. The government supports the investment by railway operators for specialized firefighting resources to take suppression action on wildfires on rail right-of-way.
The federal Railway Extreme Heat and Fire Mitigation Rules impacts federally regulated railways, such as Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. under the authority of Transport Canada. The Government of Alberta continues to monitor these rules and their impacts during extreme fire danger conditions that occur along the railway corridors in our province.
My ministry is developing a province-wide wildfire mitigation strategy with support from various stakeholders, including the rail and power line industry. This strategy will develop actions and strategies aimed at mitigating wildfire risk throughout the province.
We continue to work closely with all industries to collectively address wildfire risk to communities and increase resiliency.
Development:
The response from Alberta Forestry and Parks highlights the obligations by railway operators towards wildfire mitigation as mandated by existing legislation and also references a potential engagement opportunity on the development of a provincial wildfire mitigation strategy. These statements, while cognizant of the issues, do not address railway fire mitigation according to the specific methods outlined in the resolution. Similarly, although the response from Natural Resources Canada references past discussions with RMA on wildland fire management, it does not respond specifically to issues around railway fire mitigation as highlighted in the resolution. RMA assigns this resolution a status of Intent Not Met and will continue advocating for enhanced railway fire management in Alberta.
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