The 2025 wildfire season has begun. Nearly 1200 wildfires occurred in Alberta during the 2024 wildfire season and half were caused by human activities. With your cooperation, and through effective planning and preparedness, we can reduce this number. Most fires related to the energy industry in Alberta are due to flaring operations, inadequately extinguished burn or brush piles, and hot vehicle exhausts, including exhaust from off-highway vehicles.
Proactive fire control measures should be in place that include wildfire mitigation, prevention, preparedness, and response as well as acquiring and maintaining fire suppression equipment as required under the Forest and Prairie Protection Act and associated regulations, including Directive 060: Upstream Petroleum Industry Flaring, Incinerating, and Venting and Directive 071: Emergency Preparedness and Response.
Under Directive 071, duty holders who must have an emergency response plan must create and maintain one at a level of detail proportionate to its operations. The plan must also address hazards and potential consequences of the emergency scenarios that its operations pose to the public and the environment, including oil and gas activities that have the potential to ignite a wildfire. Directive 071 also provides information on criteria to evaluate when contemplating an ERP activation. Mutual aid should be considered through effective communication and coordination with local fire departments and municipalities.
Additional information about wildfire conditions in your area, how to be notified if they occur, or how to prepare for wildfires or other natural hazards, is available from the following sources:
- Alberta Wildfire: https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-wildfire.
- Fire Danger: https://www.alberta.ca/fire-danger.
- Fire Permits: https://www.alberta.ca/get-a-fire-permit.
- FireSmart: https://www.alberta.ca/firesmart.
- Alberta Emergency Alert: https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-emergency-alert.aspx.
- Alberta Hazard Preparedness: https://www.alberta.ca/hazard-preparedness.
If you have questions regarding this bulletin, contact the AER’s Customer Contact Centre by phone at 403-297-8311 (1-855-297-8311 toll free) or by email at inquiries@aer.ca.
