Money available for wildfire protection projects

September 22, 2015.  Métis settlements, municipalities, municipal districts, counties, and registered non-profit societies in Alberta are eligible to apply for FireSmart grants to a maximum of $100,000 per community, according to Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. The funding can be used to support fire preparedness planning, public education, and on-the-ground fire mitigation projects, like creating buffers between buildings and forest vegetation. Over the past 10 years, the FireSmart Community Program has provided approximately $5.8 million to 129 different communities in Alberta. Communities will have access to $800,000 in funding this fiscal year for wildfire protection projects. “This year’s busy wildfire season was a strong reminder of the importance of proactive emergency planning and risk reduction strategies,” said Agriculture and Forestry Minister Oneil Carlier. The wildfire hazard was strong throughout late spring and summer and caused the evacuations of a number of communities.