Sturgeon County photo
It has been one year since the May 2025 wildfire near the Redwater
Recreation Area, a stressful time many residents in the area still remember clearly.
Following the wildfire, Sturgeon County completed a third-party after-action review
examining how emergency crews, municipal staff and regional partners responded during
the event and identifying areas where improvements could be made.
According to information released by the County, the review was intended to help
strengthen emergency response efforts moving forward.
“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,” Mayor Alanna Hnatiw
stated in information released by the County. “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.”
Since the wildfire, the County has increased patrols in higher-risk areas and added drone
surveillance to help spot flare-ups or possible wildfire threats earlier.
The region is also now using smoke-detection camera technology designed to provide
earlier warning of possible fires.
Additional Community Safety staff have been brought in to support emergency planning,
public education and preparedness initiatives, while staff and partner agencies have also
completed additional incident management and emergency communications training.
County officials say the importance of those partnerships has already been highlighted
during responses to more recent wildfire activity in the Sandy Beach area.
Residents may also soon notice changes in how emergency information is delivered.
Sturgeon County Council has approved a new localized public notification system expected
to launch later in 2026. The system will allow residents to receive emergency notifications
directly through text message, email or phone call while complementing the province-wide
Alberta Emergency Alert system.
“We hope we never see another wildfire like we did last spring,” Hnatiw stated in the
County release. “But we know we’re more prepared, better informed and stronger because
of the steps we’re taking together.”