This is the worst start to an Alberta wildfire season ever.
There have been larger disasters in the past, to be sure. The 2011 Slave Lake fire and more recent Fort McMurray “Beast” are two of the worst natural disasters Alberta’s ever seen. But with hundreds of fires, tens of thousands of displaced Albertans, and hundreds of thousands of burned hectares, the 2023 wildfire season has had an unprecedented start.
“It really is the worst wildfire season we have ever seen, overall,” says AUPE Vice-President Mike Dempsey, who is an Environmental Protection Officer with Alberta Environment and Parks. “It may not seem as dramatic as past years, but it is shaping up to be the worst year for Alberta wildfires in history.”
“It really is the worst wildfire season we have ever seen, overall."
AUPE members are on the front-lines fighting these fires. Every member of Alberta’s wildfire response teams is working long, hard, thankless hours, from the firefighters themselves to the watchtower lookouts, information officers, logistic coordinators, dispatchers, warehouse workers, and countless other key staff.
Unfortunately, these AUPE members and their colleagues are not as supported as they should be. Many of them working short-staffed because of the previous UCP government’s cuts.
AUPE repeatedly urged the government to keep wildfire fighting services properly staffed and in-house. Instead, the government cut funding for this critical work and contracted some services to private companies. The UCP government even eliminated Alberta’s Wildland Firefighter Rappel Program in 2019.
“Premier Smith must restore what was cut from wildfire fighting, as well as the cuts in other key environmental and forestry services."
Dempsey says a recent email to government workers shows just how serious the situation is.
On May 16, Alberta’s Public Service Commissioner emailed all Government of Alberta staff, desperate for anyone with firefighting experience to volunteer to help fight the wildfires. Dempsey says this request, including the way it was sent to all staff, proves the government is desperate.
“I’ve been on the front lines in previous wildfire seasons when government workers were simply redeployed as necessary,” he says. “This government-wide call for volunteers tells me they are expecting staff to burn out soon. They are in desperate need of help.”
Health and safety is a major concern for firefighters. It’s a dangerous and difficult job at the best of times, and a historically bad season only makes it worse. The health and safety of any member who volunteers is especially important.
“Not just anyone can fight wildfires,” says Dempsey. “Our priority is the health and safety of every worker stepping up to protect Albertans, especially volunteers.”
The Public Service Commissioner confirmed there will be a vetting process for volunteers, including additional training. Volunteers will be treated as redeployed workers, meaning all aspects of their employment, such as pay, will continue as normal.
Now that the provincial election is over, Dempsey says restoring front-line services must be a priority for Premier Smith.
“The new government must do more than respond to this state of emergency,” he says. “Premier Smith must restore what was cut from wildfire fighting, as well as the cuts in other key environmental and forestry services. Better yet, they must actively strengthen these services so Albertans are safe and prepared for future disasters.”