Every year as we transition from spring to summer the Bow Valley braces for the unexpected, from rising water levels to increased fire danger.
Last week the fire danger was momentarily elevated to “very high” while Banff was put under a flood watch on May 30 as rain began to fall from the sky.
The swing in weather is not unusual for this time of year, however across the valley you can feel a certain level of anxiety as residents keep an eye on Mother Nature.
While a certain level of anxiety is to be expected, particularly following the Verdant Creek wildfire last summer and the 2013 flooding, we should take some solace in knowing that we are more prepared then ever.
Following the 2013 floods that damaged about 80 homes in Canmore and critical pieces of infrastructure, the municipality created a Mountain Creek Hazard Mitigation Program.
One element of that program was to get short-term mitigation in place for the spring run-off in 2014. Since then the Town has been working on long-term mitigation projects such as installing a debris dam in Cougar Creek.
The province has also been heavily involved, pouring millions into flood mitigation projects across the province, including a portion of the $48.6-million for the debris retention structure at Cougar Creek.
Earlier this month, the province earmarked an additional $3.3 million to help reduce the risk of flooding along Exshaw Creek. This is in addition to work that’s either been completed or in progress to improve Heart, Jura and Pigeon Creeks, located in the Municipal District of Bighorn.
When it comes to preparing for wildfires, both communities should find comfort in the amount of FireSmart work that has already taken place.
In fact, earlier this month Banff was recognized by FireSmart Canada for the work it has done to address the threat of a catastrophic wildfire.
In its drive to limit the potential risk, Banff recently dedicated more money to encourage residents to replace combustible roofs on their homes in a bid to reduce the wildfire risk to the townsite.
In April, council expanded its combustible roof incentive replacement program by providing an additional $64,800 over nine years for about 60 residential homes in low risk fire zones of town.
That money is in addition to $229,500 over 10 years council approve in 2016 to help 255 residents in high and moderate wildfire risk zones mitigate the risk of embers landing on their roofs and starting a fire.
Both Towns have also recently updated their wildfire risk zone maps, with Banff declaring most of the townsite a high risk zone.
In Canmore more stringent requirements are being placed on new developments that are adjacent to high-risk wildfire areas, including what materials decks and roofs can be surfaced with.
By making these changes, not only are both towns acknowledging the inherent wildfire risk in the Bow Valley, they are also taking a proactive approach to limit that risk.
More recently Canmore’s wildfire mitigation plan update recommended the municipal fire department design and build a structure protection trailer with sprinklers to improve its response to wildfires in the future.
Purchasing a trailer was one of 12 recommendations to come out of a Wildfire Mitigation Strategy review conducted this year by Canmore-based Montane Forest Management’s Stew Walkinshaw.
While a lot has been done to mitigate the risk of floods and fires in the Bow Valley, the onus remains on all of us to be prepared for the worst, whether that’s having a 72-hour emergency kit, FireSmarting your property or simply listening to authorities when the next natural disaster strikes.
