Hinton is urging the Alberta government to commit to continued funding for its specialized wildfire team before the program’s current funding expires March 31.
Mayor Brian LaBerge said the town wants stable, multi-year funding and an immediate commitment, rather than waiting for next year’s provincial budget. Without assurances, Hinton risks losing its current firefighters and having to recruit and train a new crew.
“We’re trying to, to the extent we can, pressure the government to make sure we have funding in place,” LaBerge said. “We don’t want to lose these firefighters.”
In 2025, the province committed $6.54 million to establish wildland urban interface teams in six municipalities considered at risk of wildfire. Hinton received $1.09 million to fund a four-member team for two years.
These specialized crews are trained to respond to wildfires where homes and wildland vegetation meet. Hinton’s team has been deployed across the province, including to Redwater, Swan Hills, Red Earth Creek and High Level.
Locally, the firefighters have contributed hundreds of hours to FireSmart projects, organized community events and completed 170 home assessments as of June. They have also helped train local firefighters and supported the Junior Firefighter Program for high school students.
Hinton argues its location makes it a strategically important base for the team. A University of Alberta study ranked Nordegg, Hinton, Jasper, Grande Cache and Fox Creek as Alberta communities (with populations over 1000) most vulnerable to wildfire, based on wind trajectories. Nordegg, ranked highest for risk, is about 144 kilometres from Hinton as the crow flies.
The West Yellowhead region has experienced several major wildfires in recent years. The 2024 Jasper wildfire forced more than 25,000 people to evacuate and destroyed about a third of the townsite. Edson was also evacuated in 2023, with Hinton hosting many of the evacuees.
“This isn’t some pie in the sky possibility,” LaBerge said. “We’ve experienced it here, certainly in the West Yellowhead and other places in the province, and we need to take steps to ensure that this isn’t an issue.”
Hinton has been seeking support from neighbouring municipalities, arguing the team provides a regional benefit. On Sept. 15, Jasper council unanimously voted to send a letter of support.
LaBerge said West Yellowhead MLA Martin Long has also been supportive and is working to arrange a meeting with Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis.
Arthur Green, a spokesperson for the ministry, said in an email that the wildland urban interface program would not be cut while Ellis remains minister.
“This premier program has been at the cutting edge of new innovative programs that fight wildland fires when they encroach on a municipality,” Green said. “The rest of Canada is taking notice — in fact, several provinces and territories are looking to copy our model.”
Green added that the province would continue advocating for the federal government to maintain its share of funding for the program.
Peter Shokeir, Local Journalism Initiative // info@thejasperlocal.com
