An out-of-control wildfire burned near the hamlet of Evansburg, in west-central Alberta in May 2023. Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes. If every firefighter in Alberta had been working in Yellowhead County during the height of the 2023 wildfires, it still wouldn't have been enough to manage the threat to homes and communities.
As wildfires burned in west central Alberta in May 2023, Yellowhead County Fire Department set up large sprinklers around the community of Wildwood, Alta., to create a humidity bubble as protection. Williams said county council and staff are still reviewing the report and considering what changes do and don't make sense to implement.Still, he believes county staff went above and beyond in the midst of a challenging and evolving emergency.it's really tough to be proactive," he said.
There is also a call for Alberta Wildfire to offer more leadership and resources to local authorities.The report notes that Yellowhead County Fire Department was unable to deal with demands in areas that are designated as the county's responsibility — known as white zones — because they fall outside provincial forested protection areas, or green zones.
"In a disaster that inherently overwhelms local systems and resources, there is a pressing need for comprehensive local, regional, provincial, and national strategies plus resources to support local disasters."