In northern Alberta, the town of High Level is preparing for another intense wildfire season with help from its specially trained Wildland Urban Interface crew. Using drip torches, firefighters carried out a controlled grass burn near the community to reduce fire risk.
High Level’s WUI team was one of the first in Alberta when the program launched seven years ago. Today, eight teams operate across the province, combining traditional firefighting with wildland response.
Team lead Brady Clarke says the crews fill a critical gap between structure and forest firefighting.
The town of just over 4,000 people has become a key evacuation hub during recent wildfire emergencies. Mayor Josh Lambert says the devastating Chuckegg Creek wildfire in 2019 marked a turning point, after more than 350,000 hectares burned and the fire smouldered for over a year.
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