With spring and early summer blazes displacing 38,000 residents and causing significant damage, the Alberta municipalities have allocated $175 million for wildfire disaster recovery.
Alberta municipalities and Métis settlements affected by devastating wildfires have received a lifeline from the provincial government
The funds are aimed at helping Alberta municipalities and Métis settlements cope with the unexpected expenses incurred while responding to wildfires and repairing the resulting damage. At a news conference in Drayton Valley, Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis expressed solidarity with the affected communities, acknowledging the extraordinary costs they have faced in safeguarding residents’ homes and businesses. Alberta municipalities and settlements can utilize the recovery funds to cover various expenses, including payments for volunteer firefighters, municipal staff, and firefighter costs. The money can also be used for running reception centers, providing emergency accommodations, food, and transportation.
The recovery program will additionally support efforts to protect local structures from fire and repair or replace infrastructure damaged during fire prevention activities. However, it is important to note that the revised program now covers only 90% of communities’ expenses and is limited to uninsured repairs. Homeowners, renters, small business owners, landlords, agricultural operations, non-profit groups, and condo associations are ineligible for the disaster response program, as they are expected to have private fire insurance.
Despite these measures, some residents of Alberta municipalities’ Métis settlements have expressed concerns about the lack of insurance coverage for their properties.
The Alberta municipalities acknowledge this challenge and are actively engaged in ongoing discussions to find a solution
This year has been particularly severe in terms of natural disasters in Alberta municipalities, with wildfires in May followed by flash flooding and a tornado in Didsbury. The province has already spent over $700 million on firefighting efforts, and there are still 106 active wildfires in progress. The firefighting costs for this year could surpass those of 2016, which saw firefighters battling wildfires near Fort McMurray for several months.
The Alberta Emergency Management Agency reports that the Alberta municipalities province has experienced its worst wildfire season on record, with fires spanning 1.4 million hectares. Given these staggering figures, municipal officials, such as Jerry Gautreau, the chief administrative officer of Big Lakes County, are concerned that the allocated $175 million in disaster recovery funds may fall short of the actual requirements. Gautreau estimates that his county alone could accumulate firefighting costs and related expenses of $4 to $5 million.
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