Fireguards, strips of cleared land designed to slow the spread of wildfires, are changing the landscape across the Canadian Rockies — and not just for humans. From Lake Louise to Banff, Canmore, and into Kananaskis Country, hundreds of hectares of forest have been cleared over the past five years, with more projects planned.
Balancing Fire Safety and Wildlife Benefits
While the primary goal of fireguards is to protect residents, visitors, and communities from wildfires, wildlife has also found unexpected advantages. Elk, grizzly bears, and various bird species are making use of the open spaces for movement and feeding.
“They use the opening to move, but they’re mainly using the opening to feed,” said Shelley Tamelin, a wildfire risk reduction manager with Parks Canada. Bill Hunt, senior director of conservation programs at the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, explained that these areas provide fresh food sources such as willows, grasses, shrubs, and buffaloberries, creating new habitat opportunities for birds, ungulates, and bears.
Fireguards can also guide wildlife away from dangerous areas like roads and train tracks, reducing the risk of negative human-wildlife interactions. “We don’t really want them roadside. We don’t really want them hanging out on the train tracks,” Tamelin said.
Careful Planning Minimizes Disruption
Building a fireguard isn’t a quick process. Planning can take five to ten years, ensuring that trees are removed from the most strategic locations with minimal environmental impact. Officials work closely with regional groups, governments, and wildlife experts to identify potential issues and mitigate negative effects.
Logging is timed from mid-November to March when the ground is frozen, protecting the soil and avoiding nesting seasons for birds and bats. Biologists conduct weekly surveys to ensure sensitive species are not impacted. “It takes time to pick the really good location and talk to stakeholders and engage all our specialists and keep tweaking the plan,” Tamelin said.
Open Spaces Encourage Safe Wildlife Movement
Tourism in the Bow Valley continues to grow, with Alberta aiming to expand outdoor tourism to $25 billion annually by 2035. With more people in the Rockies, it’s crucial to provide safe, open spaces for wildlife to reduce encounters in towns and recreation areas.
Research shows that wildlife, including grizzly bears, actively use these openings. Alberta Parks biologist John Paczkowski highlighted that 75% of grizzly bear movement near Barrier Lake in Kananaskis Country occurs in forest openings. Monitoring through around 120 wildlife cameras helps track how animals adapt to these cleared areas.
“It’s really exciting to realize a dream of restoring habitat on a large scale,” Paczkowski said, underscoring how fireguards can simultaneously enhance safety for people and wildlife in the Rockies.
