Wildfire Risks on The Farm

Wildfire season is here, and knowing the risks on your farm, as well as having tools for fire prevention and damage reduction, is key to minimize damage to your farm! 

The FireSmart program gives Albertans information and recommendations on how to reduce the risk of a wildfire damaging their farmland, home or outbuildings.

To minimize the risk to your home and property, it is recommended you follow these best practices:

• Keep your lawn mowed as short as possible, at least 5 ft (1.5 m) from your home and around all other buildings.
• Reduce the amount of brush and trees close to your home, choose wildfire-resistant plants whenever possible, and space them out.
• Clear all combustible material, including wood piles, away from your home. Keep these materials no closer than 30 ft (10 m) from your home and other buildings.
• Clear and maintain your eavestrough and roof regularly. Remove debris like dry leaves and twigs to prevent sparks from catching.
• Trim the low branches of trees to a height of 6 ft (2 m) from the ground to help reduce the risk of your trees igniting.
• Apply the same standards of maintenance to all buildings on your property as you do your home.
• Plan and practice your home escape plan and include a plan for wildfire evacuations.

Saddle Hills County also offers agriculture-specific emergency preparedness resources, such as Agricultural Producer Wildfire Planning and Livestock Emergency Preparedness, which include information on sheltering your animals in place, a copy of the County's Emergency Preparedness Plan, and what goes in a farm emergency kit, among other things. 

For more information on the FireSmart program and how it can help protect your home and property, visit firesmartalberta.ca/