Overview
- Alberta says it is prepared for the 2026 wildfire season with trained crews and equipment positioned across the province.
- The province has hired more than 550 seasonal firefighters and can draw on hundreds more through contracts and mutual aid agreements.
- A new Mutual Aid Incentive Pilot offers municipalities up to $125,000 for wildfire response to encourage earlier requests for provincial assistance, and officials said Sandy Beach has already used it.
- Air operations expand with helicopters equipped for night-vision and rescue hoists, alongside a $400 million order for five De Havilland waterbombers that are not expected to enter service until at least 2031.
- Budget 2026 sets aside $169 million for wildfire management, and earlier funding created six Wildland Urban Interface teams to bolster municipal firefighting near communities.