Firefighting Team

Canadian utilities combining forces during wildfire season

With wildfire season underway, three Alberta electric utilities are working together to deliver the safe, reliable electricity that Albertans depend on.

The Government of Alberta’s recently released Alberta Wildfire Mitigation Strategy highlights the important role utilities play when it comes to wildfire mitigation. As wildfires become more frequent and severe, the owners and operators of the electric transmission and distribution networks in Alberta’s highest-risk areas – AltaLink, ATCO Energy Systems and FortisAlberta – have formed the Alberta Wildfire Utility Coalition. The Coalition is aligning efforts to reduce wildfire risk and strengthen system resilience, per a March 19 press release from Business Wire.

The Alberta Wildfire Utility Coalition is committed to reducing wildfire risk associated with utility systems and to ensuring effective preparedness and response when wildfire events occur. The Coalition’s work is guided by four priorities: prevention, resilience, collaboration and response.

Proactive actions to reduce risk and ensure public safety

Each utility has wildfire mitigation plans grounded in data and informed by evolving industry standards and best practices. Through the Coalition, utilities are working collaboratively to standardize wildfire mitigation approaches that emphasize public safety, wildfire prevention, resilience, collaboration and responsible investment.

Common wildfire mitigation activities include strengthening and upgrading assets, enhancing vegetation management near power lines, increasing inspections in higher‑risk areas, protecting assets with fire-resistant materials, and using advanced weather monitoring and other technologies to improve situational awareness and support proactive operational actions to protect communities and keep people safe.

One component of a comprehensive utility wildfire mitigation plan is a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), used as a last resort to keep people and communities safe. During extreme conditions where a single spark could ignite a fire, a utility may proactively shut off power to impacted power lines until conditions improve and it is safe to restore service.

Enhancing resilience through collaborative emergency preparedness and response

Effective communication and coordination before, during and after emergencies are critical to strengthening response and resilience. The Alberta Wildfire Utility Coalition is focused on enhancing emergency preparedness through ongoing engagement with industry partners, government agencies, emergency services and community leaders to support coordinated action and clear communication during wildfire events.

How Albertans can prepare for wildfire season and stay informed

As wildfire season begins, the Alberta Wildfire Utility Coalition encourages Albertans to stay informed, understand the potential impacts of wildfires and power outages, and take steps to prepare for emergencies:

• Create an emergency plan that accounts for potential power outages and evacuations

• Gather a 72-hour emergency kit with essential supplies

• Ensure a backup power plan is in place for medical devices that require electricity

• Ensure your electricity retailer has your updated contact information to receive alerts

• Follow your utilities on social media for real-time updates

“Wildfire risk is a growing challenge, one that no single utility can address on its own. By working together through the Alberta Wildfire Utility Coalition, we are sharing best practices, aligning our approaches and advocating for reasonable and consistent industry standards to ensure that electric utilities can take effective steps to protect against wildfire risk for the benefit of Albertans," said Gary Hart, President and Chief Executive Officer at AltaLink, which is headquartered in Calgary, with offices in Edmonton, Red Deer and Lethbridge. AltaLink is Alberta’s largest electricity transmission provider, with approximately 13,400 kilometres of transmission lines and more than 310 substations. AltaLink is partnering with its customers to provide innovative solutions to meet the province’s demand for safe, reliable and affordable energy.