Alberta government, feds spending $7M to fund 6 new urban wildfire teams

Alberta’s public safety minister says provincial and federal funding will create six teams of urban wildfire crews across the province.

Mike Ellis says having six more teams means Alberta will have eight crews with specialized training to respond to fires threatening communities.

He says the teams will be based in municipal fire departments and include firefighters with both structural and wildland fire training.

Ellis says the teams are being strategically placed so Alberta is prepared to respond when wildfires threaten communities.

The teams will be based in Hinton, Slave Lake, Strathmore, Kananaskis Village, Lac La Biche County and one will be under the purview of the Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council.

Strathmore fire chief David Sturgeon says his department will be hiring four new firefighters who will work on the team.

Alberta’s two existing teams are based in High Level and Clearwater County.