One year after the Redwater wildfire, Sturgeon County is stronger and more prepared. By working closely with regional partners, the County is improving emergency planning, training and tools to keep our communities safe. The wildfire currently burning in the Sandy Beach area is a good example of why regional collaboration and emergency preparedness make a difference – before, during and after an emergency.
Following the May 2025 fire, the County completed a third-party after-action review. The review looked at the actions taken by Sturgeon County and its counterparts in the Sturgeon Regional Emergency Management Partnership to contain and extinguish the wildfire and identified what aspects of the response worked well and where improvements could be made.
The lessons learned are now helping guide how the County prepares for, responds to and recovers from emergency events.
“We are proud of our swift and efficient response to the Redwater Recreation Area fire, and of the tireless efforts that went towards protecting lives and homes. The County is committed to continuous improvement, so we took the time to really dig into the emergency response to see what lessons could be learned to be even more prepared if and when an event occurs in the future,” said Sturgeon County Mayor Alanna Hnatiw.
Many actions have already been taken, including the addition of new Community Safety resourcing to strengthen emergency planning, pulic safety programs and community education. Internal staff and partner agencies have also received more training in incident management and emergency communications to improve teamwork during emergencies.
Sturgeon County is also now using a smoke detection camera for fire prevention, and has increased ground and drone patrols in wildfire-risk areas, especially near areas affected by last year’s fire.
Helping residents prepare for emergencies is another key focus. Public education campaigns, as well as events held throughout the year, are helping residents learn about emergency preparedness, local risks and what to do if an evacuation is ever needed.
Council has also approved the use of a new, localized public notification system that will share emergency information by text, email, or phone. The system is expected to launch by the end of 2026 and will complement the Alberta Emergency Alert system. Residents are encouraged to sign up for updates on the system so they can be among the first to sign up for the alerts when the system is launched later this year.
“We hope we never see another wildfire like we did last spring,” said Mayor Hnatiw. “But we know we’re more prepared, better informed and stronger because of the steps we’re taking together.”
Watch the Mayor’s video message and stay tuned to SturgeonCounty.ca as the County continues to build a safer and more prepared community.
Media Inquiries:
Corporatecomms@sturgeoncounty.ca
587-983-8257
