City of Edmonton adds proactive measures to wildfire protection plan – Edmonton [Video]

Drones, prescribed burns and a wildfire technician will all be part of the City of Edmonton’s wildfire strategy in 2025.

The measures are to mitigate the city’s fire risk.

“We have a huge river valley and it is vulnerable,” Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said of the North Saskatchewan River valley.

At about 88 kilometers from end to end, the stretch of river through Edmonton is the largest continuous urban parkland system in Canada, with more than 180 kilometres of maintained pathways and over 20 named parks with amenities, along with tens of thousands of trees.

In an update to committee Wednesday, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services said the wildfire risk looks better than in years past, thanks to more snowfall this winter — but fire chief David Lazenby said that could change.

It’s why drone surveillance that started last spring will continue. The drones check the river valley for fire hazards. A wildfire technician was also added last year, monitoring trees and shrubs in …