Calgary launches new wildfire prevention campaign as risk grows

Calgary is rolling out a new campaign warning that hotter, drier summers are pushing wildfire risk closer to neighbourhoods across the city.

The Calgary Fire Department (CFD) has launched its first wildfire prevention campaign, running from Aug. 3 to Sept. 6 and funded through the FRIAA FireSmart Program.

City officials say the campaign is designed to help residents understand how wildfire risk is changing and what actions can reduce the chance of ignition in neighbourhoods bordering natural areas.

CFD is expanding its wildfire‑risk assessment work with communities such as Discovery Ridge and developing a citywide wildfire threat‑assessment program for natural areas.

Brian Cameron has called Discovery Ridge home for more than 20 years. Living next to Griffith Woods Park is one of the reasons he chose the neighbourhood, but as wildfire seasons become more severe, he says he’s paying closer attention to the risks around his property.

“Obviously, we’ve got a lot of forest back here,” he says. “Now we do have a little bit of a deciduous tree buffer, which is less flammable. But we’ve got some nice fir trees in behind there, and they go up like a candle in dry conditions when it’s hot.”

The fire department continues to invest in specialized wildland equipment and training for large‑scale incidents, but stress that protecting communities starts with homeowners reducing fire hazards around their properties.

“If they could do some clearing of the underbrush, maybe bringing some of the highly flammable fir trees a little bit further back from residences, but not all residents would necessarily want that,” Cameron says. “Some people like having the forest right on them.”

CFD data shows wildfire and outdoor fire activity in Calgary has climbed steadily since 2020 and more Calgarians now live near grasslands and natural areas as new communities are established.

By July 2026, CFD had already responded to more wildland fires than entire years between 2017 and 2020. On average, the department handles 23 wildland fires per month, with May typically peaking at about 42 incidents.

Early 2026 saw a temporary 17 per cent decline due to cold temperatures and heavy snow, but officials expect activity to rise through the summer and continue trending upward in coming years.

Alongside the new campaign, Calgary issued a fire advisory on July 30, urging residents to use caution with open flames and solid‑fuel appliances.

Safety tips for Calgarians

The campaign includes a list of steps Calgarians can take to reduce risk at home:

• Create a defensible space by removing combustibles and limit flammable vegetation around the property
• Manage fuels by keeping propane tanks, firewood and yard waste away from structures
• Upgrade building materials during renovations to reduce ignition potential
• Practice outdoor fire safety by avoiding improper disposal of smoking materials
• Prepare for smoke by maintaining an emergency kit with items such as N95 masks