Alberta hiring to restore land where fireguards were created in 2023 wildfire season

The provincial government is seeking contractors to restore hundreds of kilometres of land where fireguards were created during the 2023 wildfire season.

The Forestry and Parks Ministry recently issued several requests for proposals, looking to return the land to a near-natural state. The work focuses on sites where large wildfires burned near Edson, Alta., about 200 kilometres west of Edmonton, and in the High Level forest area in northwestern Alberta.

"Generally, at the North American level, it's well understood that rehabilitation of fireguards is a really important thing to do," said Jed Kaplan, a professor in the University of Calgary's earth, energy and environment department.

Canada, including Alberta, experienced a historic wildfire season in 2023. Alberta Wildfire recorded about 1,100 fires that burned more than 2.2 million hectares.

Fireguards, a common fire suppression technique, are strategically placed barriers that aim to stop — or at least hinder — wildfire from spreading. Often, heavy equipment is used to remove vegetation that could fuel the flames, leaving only soil.

Alberta Forestry and Parks must reclaim forest land firefighting crews disturbed as part of wildfire suppression operations, including fireguards, according to tender documents posted on Alberta Purchasing Connection, where public institutions, such as municipalities and government ministries, post requests for proposals.

Some of the fireguards travel through wooded areas, which may require cleaning out topsoil, downed trees and debris. Some infrastructure may need to be reclaimed too — like pipeline crossings and helipads — according to the tender documents.

Fireguards are meant to be temporary features. The land must be restored afterward to prevent "irreversible long-term environmental damage," a spokesperson for Natural Resources Canada told CBC News in a statement. The Canadian Forest Service falls under the department's jurisdiction. 

In an emailed statement, Alberta Forestry and Parks said a request for proposals for reclamation work is open. 

"By reclaiming the land, the province aims to prevent soil erosion, stabilize the area, and encourage new growth, helping the land recover quickly," said Alexandru Cioban, spokesperson for the ministry. 

The open soil left by fireguards, Kaplan said, leaves that area vulnerable to invasive species and erosion. Depending on where the fireguard is, that could contaminate a nearby water supply or increase the risk of landslides, he said. Patching the fireguard also protects the local ecosystem.

"Those are all three really important reasons why we want to rehabilitate or restore fireguards as quickly as possible after wildland fires are contained," he said.

The debris, he added, may have been tossed into a pile while the fireguard was created. Clearing it could prevent future fire and safety risks.

The contracts span from Dec. 6 to March 31, 2025, because the work has to be done when the soil is frozen, the documents say.

Recontouring the exposed soil will be the first step, before crews roll back topsoil or organic matter cleared when the fireguards were built, according to the Natural Resources Canada spokesperson.

Alberta's 2024 wildfire season officially ended Oct. 31. Alberta Wildfire responded to more than 1,210 fires that burned more than 705,000 hectares.

As of Sunday afternoon, 20 total wildfires were burning throughout the province, but they were all deemed under control, according to the agency's wildfire status dashboard.