The Province of Alberta is stepping up its efforts for the 2026 wildfire season as Banff and other mountain communities prepare for peak fire risk. With southern Alberta currently facing very high to extreme fire danger and roughly 25 wildfires already active across the province, officials are highlighting increased staffing and new financial tools to help manage threats to communities and infrastructure.
To bolster response capacity, the provincial government has hired over 550 seasonal firefighters for this year. This comes after a surge in interest, with 1,200 people applying for positions compared to roughly 800 the previous year. Additionally, the province is dedicating $169 million through Budget 2026 to support wildfire management operations.
A new measure, the Mutual Aid Incentive Pilot Program, is designed to encourage municipalities to request provincial assistance earlier if needed. This program provides up to $125,000 to participating communities to help support their response efforts. These initiatives align with the broader Alberta Wildfire Mitigation Strategy launched in March 2026, which focuses on reducing risks before fires begin.
Locally, the Town of Banff continues to take aggressive action to limit wildfire hazards. Crews are actively removing coniferous trees and combustible vegetation near all municipal facilities and critical infrastructure. The town is also maintaining cleared areas around the community’s edge to act as a buffer. These steps follow lessons learned from the 2024 wildfire in Jasper, where the use of FireSmart principles and prepared emergency responses were credited with saving more than 70 percent of that town after the fire destroyed 358 buildings.
Looking toward long-term aerial support, the province has invested in new technology including night-vision and hoist-equipped helicopters. Furthermore, the government has signed a $400-million contract to acquire five new waterbombers, though these aircraft are not expected to be ready for service until 2031.
