Wildfire Safety
- National Safety Services Inc.
Canada experienced significant wildfire season in 2024 that continued from the previous record-setting 2023 wildfire season. In July 2024, a wildfire near Jasper, Alberta destroyed approximately one-third of the town’s structures and resulted in one fatality.
As we enter 2025, wildfires have already begun to wreak havoc in California with the destructive Palisades and Eaton fires, destroying thousands of structures, displacing thousands of people, and causing millions of dollars in damages.
The official wildfire season in Canada begins in May through September. It is important to take steps to prepare ourselves, our businesses, homes and the areas we love to protect against wildfires.
Awareness and Education : Educating your employees and their families about the causes of wildfires, such as campfires, discarded cigarettes, or sparks from equipment, and how to prevent them can significantly reduce their incidence. It is critical that everyone makes a concerted effort to mitigate and eliminate the risk of wildfires caused by humans.
Jurisdictions, such as counties or city bylaws, often implement and enforce regulations regarding activities that could lead to wildfires. These include restrictions on outdoor burning or campfire bans during dry seasons, and it’s important to stay up to date on information about restrictions in your area. Before starting a fire, reach out to your local area or review the website to see if a Fire Ban is in effect.
You can help protect your facilities, assets and homes from the rapid spread of wildfire by conducting vegetation management. Take the time to remove dead or overgrown vegetation from your yard including fallen or dead trees, tree branches, leaves and grass clippings. Maintain a 10m (30 feet) clear perimeter around buildings of these types of vegetation.
To minimize the risk of fire spreading to the canopy (tree-tops), any potential fuel ladders should be removed. A fuel ladder, or ladder fuel, is a firefighting term referring to live or dead vegetation that enables a fire to spread from the ground to the tree canopy. Typical ladder fuels include tall grasses, shrubs, and both live and dead tree branches. Removing these fuels is a key aspect of defensible space and firescaping practices.
The goal is to ensure that a low-burning fire can reach the tree trunk—where the bark provides protection—without igniting thinner, more flammable branches, leaves, or needles within its reach.
Wildfires are dangerous, can develop rapidly and spread quickly. Early detection of wildfires is critical for prompt response and is everyone’s responsibility. If you see a fire, please report it immediately.
Alberta: 310-3473
British Columbia: 1-(800)-663-5555
Manitoba: 1-(800)-782-0076
New Brunswick: 9-1-1
Newfoundland and Labrador: 1-(866)-709-3473
Northwest Territories: 1-(877)-698-3473
Nova Scotia: 1-(800)-565-2224 (or 9-1-1)
Nunavut: 1-(833)-966-2280
Ontario: 310-3473
Prince Edward Island: 9-1-1
Quebec: 1-(800)-463-3389
Saskatchewan: 1-(800)-798-3473
Yukon: 1-(888)-798-3473
An emergency kit for immediate evacuation, often called a Go-Bag or Bug-Out Bag, should contain essential supplies to sustain you for at least 72 hours.
Here’s a well-rounded list of what to include:
• Water - At least 1 gallon per person per day (portable water filters or purification tablets are useful too).
• Non-perishable food such as Energy bars, dried fruits, nuts, canned food (with a manual can opener).
• Cash, such as Small bills and coins (ATMs may not work).
• Copies of IDs, insurance papers, medical records, emergency contacts (stored in a waterproof bag).
• First Aid Kit that includes Bandages, antiseptic wipes, gauze, tweezers, medical tape, scissors, gloves, pain relievers, prescription medications, and EpiPen (if needed).
• Personal Hygiene such as Soap, toothbrush/toothpaste, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, feminine hygiene products, tissues, travel-size shampoo, deodorant.
• At least one full change of clothes, including socks and underwear.
• Comfortable walking shoes or boots.
• A blanket for warmth.
• Rain or weatherproof clothing such as a waterproof jacket.
• Flashlight & Extra Batteries (or hand-crank flashlight).
• Multi-tool or Swiss Army Knife.
• Duct Tape & Zip Ties for quick repairs.
• Whistle to signal for help.
• Paracord or Rope, which can be useful for shelter-building or securing items.
• Compass & a local map in case GPS is unavailable.
• Battery-powered or Hand-crank Radio to receive emergency updates.
• Fully Charged Power Bank for charging devices.
• Notebook & Pen to write important information.
Consider any individuals or animals in your home or yard that may require additional time or needs in order to safely evacuate. This includes:
• People with disabilities or medical needs
• Children & pets
• Elderly
• Allergies & other health concerns
Communities can prepare for wildfires by developing evacuation plans, establishing emergency shelters, and conducting drills to ensure residents know how to respond safely during a wildfire event. If you have significant assets, such as cattle or livestock, consider developing an Emergency Plan to move assets to safe areas. Help your neighbours, notify others as soon as possible.
If it is safe and you are able to help, please help.
At National Safety, we recognize the critical importance of a well-designed emergency response plan tailored to your organization’s unique needs. Our experienced consultants collaborate closely with your team to assess risks, identify vulnerabilities, and craft comprehensive strategies to mitigate potential threats.
From natural disasters to human-made crises, we design robust frameworks that prioritize safety, continuity of operations, and rapid response.
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