Alberta provides $190 million to support wildfire-fighting, mountain pine beetle work

The Alberta government is providing $190 million in emergency funding to two initiatives to protect human lives, property and the health of the province’s forests.

The allocations include:

• $150 million for fighting wildfires, and
• $40 million to combat mountain pine beetle infestations.

“Directing funds to these areas helps protect values important to all Albertans - the safety of people and the health of our natural environment. These are investments for the present, and for the future,” said Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Minister Diana McQueen.

Because the number and intensity of wildfires is unpredictable and varies from year to year, the Alberta government covers the cost of fighting wildfires through applications for emergency funding.

The $40 million in emergency funding provided for mountain pine beetle work includes:

• $30 million for survey and control field work, grants to support management strategies and related activities, and
• $10 million to reforest areas where trees have been killed by infestations in previous years.

Without intervention, the mountain pine beetle infestation threatening Alberta’s pine supply could result in an estimated potential negative economic impact of between $420 million and $600 million per year. This infestation also leaves our forests susceptible to fire and could also result in a significantly increased wildfire risk and increased costs to fight fires.

“It is essential that we continue this fight in order to protect not just trees, but also watersheds, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities, and community sustainability,” said Minister McQueen. “These are values Albertans want to see preserved and protected.”