The Town of Banff is pleased to be hosting the 2021 Banff Wildfire Forum online this year, bringing together community leaders and renowned experts to discuss Wildfire Safety and Protection. Residents, businesses and organizations are encouraged to participate in the forum taking place on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Participants will hear about the impact of climate change on the risk of wildfire in Canada, lessons learned from fighting bushfires in Australia, fire response and evacuation planning in the Bow Valley, and what the Town of Banff is doing to reduce hazards and protect the community in the case of wildfire.
Participants will also learn what they can do to protect their homes and families, including the availability of free programs to make properties safer and to inspect homes for advice on fire protection.
“We already saw Highway 1 to Calgary forced to close due to grassfire and there were 10 wildfires across Alberta last week. Wildfire season is here,” said Silvio Adamo, Banff Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management. “Life in our mountain community includes the special responsibility to protect ourselves and our neighbours from the very real risk of encroaching wildfire. Our community needs to discuss our shared prevention plans, our fire response, and if needed, our evacuation plans.”
On Emergency Preparedness Week (May 2 - 8, 2021) all Banff residents and businesses are encouraged to register for the live forum to be better prepared to protect themselves, their friends, roommates, employees and visitors during wildfire season.
Event Details
Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2021
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. (with brief intermission/video)
How to Participate: Online through the Zoom video conferencing program (zoom.us/)
Who should attend: Residents, agencies, and organizations in Banff National Park and the Bow Valley
How to Register: banff.ca/WildfireForum
The keynote speaker for the event will be Dr. Mike Flannigan, a former research scientist with the Canadian Forest Service, current Professor of Wildland Fire at the University of Alberta and Director of the Western Partnership for Wildland Fire Science. Dr. Flannigan will talk about the impact of climate change on the longer, hotter and more destructive fire season.
Jane Park, Fire and Vegetation Management Specialist with Parks Canada will discuss her experience fighting bushfires in Australia and the lessons learned for Banff.
Don Mortimer, Canadian Wildland Fire Consultant and FireSmart representative will invite more residents to join the FireSmart Neighbourhoods program. Chief Adamo will also discuss Banff’s preparedness systems and the resources and support available to Banff residents.
Participants will have the opportunity to submit questions to be answered directly by the panelists following their presentations.
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