Wildfires are posing a growing threat to communities in Canada, and The City of Red Deer is taking a proactive approach by reducing potential fire fuel load in areas of the urban forest system. This work follows FireSmart principles and is done to increase public safety and to lower the risk of property and infrastructure damage.
Urban Forest Fire Mitigation
Fire prevention work happens in targeted areas of Red Deer’s urban forest during the winter months to reduce fuel load and protect our community from forest fires.
Red Deer’s urban forest is an essential part of our community, home to an extensive trail network that provides access to nature right in our neighbourhoods. As wildfire risk continues to grow across Alberta, the City of Red Deer is taking a proactive approach to reducing fuel loads in our urban forest.
Wildfire mitigation work is carefully planned to balance reducing fire risk with environmental protection, acts and regulations, and forest health. For more than twenty years, the City has been proactively working to reduce fire risk in the urban forest system by reducing fuel loads in prioritized areas.
How the City manages wildfire risk
- Assessment of Risk: Working in collaboration with Red Deer Emergency Service’s Fire Prevention team, Parks & Public Works assesses the fire risk in our urban forest network throughout the city. Through this process, we proactively identify potential areas of concern and then take action to mitigate these risks.
Not all neighourhoods bear the same risk. Considerations like proximity and density of the forest, forest health, tree type and age, accessibility for firefighting equipment, and forest composition all impact fire risk assessments. Learn if you’re one of our priority areas, and see where mitigation work has occurred below. - Mitigation Work: Throughout the late fall and winter, our biodiversity team in Parks & Public Works work to reduce the fuel load in the areas identified during the risk assessment. This work is done in the winter when the ground is frozen to lessen forest floor erosion, to prevent negatively impacting wildlife and pollinators, as well as vegetation in its active growing phase. This work includes:
- Vegetation and deadfall removal within 10 metres of each side of trail networks. This includes removing things like fallen trees, limbs that are dying or damaged, and other natural vegetation that can serve as a fuel source.
- Removing dead or dying trees and replacing them with more fire-resistant tree types. Deciduous trees are much more resilient to fire, and act as a natural fire break, and therefore are commonly used to replace conifers that have reached the end of their natural lifecycle.
- Utilizing materials in our parks, shrub beds, and garden spaces that help with the retention of moisture, which helps in the overall health of our urban park system. Plant material will provide soil cooling and water conservation, which may contradict some FireSmart practices, but ultimately creates a healthier environment within our parks and urban forest.
- Maintaining a balance of healthy forest ecology with fire prevention techniques. For example, decomposing wood performs an integral role in the forest ecology and helps maintain overall health and regeneration of forests. Decomposing logs are often very moist and a difficult fire fuel, and often left behind during mitigation clean-up work.
- Identifying trees at risk of falling and posing a safety risk to nearby properties, and proactively felling these.
- Assessing forest health, monitoring outcomes, predicting forest loss, and observing forest regeneration.
Past Mitigation Work
From December 2025 to March 2026, our wildfire mitigation work included:
1. Heritage Ranch - upper area
2. Michener - east and north of the Michener Extended Care building
3. Piper Creek - south of Spruce Drive and north of 32 Street
4. Piper Creek - NE of 36 St and east of 50 Ave
Often this work is hardly noticed by trail users. Removal of decaying plant vegetation, felled trees, and other small steps may not be very noticeable, but have a big impact on slowing or stopping a spreading fire. Check out theseFire Mitigation Work Before and After (pdf) images for an idea of what our forests look like after mitigation work occurs.
A shared approach to reducing risk
Reducing wildfire risk is a shared responsibility. While the City is actively managing risk in public spaces, residents can also reduce the risk to their homes by learning about the FireSmart program. Visit FireSmart Alberta to learn more about the wildland-urban interface and how you can protect your home, neighbourhood or community from wildfire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was this area selected for this work?
Areas are selected because they are densely forested and may be difficult to access with firefighting equipment.
Why are logs left? Wouldn’t they pose a fire risk?
Decomposing wood performs a key and integral role in the forest ecology and helps maintain overall health and aids forest regeneration. Decomposing logs are often very moist and a difficult fire fuel.
Can we remove fallen logs for personal fire wood use?
No, per Parks and Public Facilities Bylaw no. 3255/2000 logs and wood must not be removed from urban parks and forests. Any logs left are done so intentionally with the forest ecosystem in mind.
How does this impact urban encampments?
Urban encampments are a reflection of the complex social challenges facing cities across Canada. Should crews encounter urban encampments while conducting this work, we will follow the camp clean up process, which involves connecting people sleeping rough to social supports and housing. If you come across an urban encampment, report it to the non-emergency police line at 403-406-2200.
Does this impact animals in the forest?
This work is being done by urban foresters, ecologists and staff who consider the health of the forest and the animals who call it home. It is completed during winter months for easier adherence to the Migratory Bird Act and to reduce damage to the forest ecology. Dead trees with nesting cavities or holes will be preserved as valuable habitat.