Thank you very much, Chair.

I want to begin by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to all the firefighters and frontline responders who bravely faced the Jasper wildfire. Their courage and dedication has not gone unnoticed, especially during such devastating times.

Thank you to the committee members for the opportunity to discuss this event.

As we reflect on the tragic events surrounding this disaster, we must acknowledge the profound loss and devastation experienced by the residents of Jasper. Many have lost their homes and cherished belongings and the familiar landscapes they love.

I would also like to take a moment to thank Mayor Richard Ireland for his leadership and communications throughout this crisis, especially given his own personal loss during these events. It is a testament to his commitment to the community.

We will assist in the cleanup and restoration of these areas. Together, we can strengthen our wildfire management efforts and protect our landscapes for generations to come.

In light of the severity of recent wildfires, Alberta's government has implemented a unified command approach with municipalities across the province through Bill 21. We believe this strategy should also extend to federally controlled lands to ensure a coordinated response in the future without delays.

We are eager to lend our expertise in battling wildfires. It's clear that proactive forest management plays a critical role in safeguarding both our natural landscapes and the communities that depend on them. Alberta's approach to managing our forests exemplifies how dedicated attention to insect and disease management, carefully planned commercial harvesting, and prescribed burning and community fireguards can make a significant difference in reducing wildfire risk.

Alberta's government takes a comprehensive approach to protecting our forests. We have invested millions of dollars in mountain pine beetle control. Our mountain pine beetle control program leveraged the proactive harvesting of high-risk forests with an aggressive survey and control of infested trees. Infested trees pose a major risk because they contribute to wildfire fuel loads. By cutting and burning these problem trees, we've made great strides in reducing the beetle population by 98% since 2019, showing that targeted resource management can make a significant impact.

We also proactively reduce wildfire risk by directing companies to focus commercial harvesting on old, high-hazard stands and beetle-killed stands, and using prescribed burns to effectively reduce the fuel load. This is an important point that I want to emphasize again: Proactive, managed disturbance can be, and is, good for the environment and people. Contrary narratives that frame disturbance as negative are simply oversimplistic and fail to recognize the very valuable aspects of carefully managed disturbance and how it has played an important part of our landscapes for thousands of years.

At a community and homeowner level, we use fireguards—pre-built, cleared strips of land—to act as barriers between forested areas and communities. These buffer zones help slow the spread of fires and allow firefighters an anchor point to plan burnout operations, as well as providing safe access points for containment efforts. We also provide funding for communities to plan and prepare and implement FireSmart principles.

In contrast, Parks Canada's approach, though well-intentioned, has drawn criticism for being reactive. The tragic events in Jasper highlight the importance of proactive measures in forest conservation and fire prevention.

Trees killed by the mountain pine beetle undoubtedly contributed greatly to the tragic events in Jasper. The vast number of dead trees accelerated the wildfire, making control actions difficult and arguably impossible. No small-scale, community FireSmart efforts would have helped with such an intense fire.

The wildfire that ultimately reached Jasper's townsite was within Jasper National Park, where Parks Canada has responsibility. Alberta and Parks Canada have a mutual aid agreement, and Alberta stepped in to assist from the very beginning. Alberta's government supported the response by sending firefighters, helicopters and heavy equipment. In fact, during the wildfire, we had more than 70 firefighters, multiple helicopters and critical equipment working alongside Parks Canada to fight the flames.

Our collaboration included real-time communication and strategic resource-sharing, with Alberta wildfire resources deployed to support the response from day one. At the time, Alberta was already battling several other large fires across the province. With over 160 active wildfires and over 50 classified as out of control, our priority was protecting communities and infrastructure, yet when Parks Canada needed help, we made it our top priority, and at no time did we suggest we were too busy, as has been purported. In fact, as we increased our wildfire budget by 55% in this last year, we had even more resources to share this year.

This wildfire posed serious risks for the crews on the ground, and sadly, we lost a true hero on August 3. Morgan Kitchen lost his life while fighting the fire. He was deeply committed to keeping our communities safe, and he gave everything for a cause he believed in.

Without the hard work and dedication of Morgan and all the wildland firefighters, the situation in Jasper could have been much worse. I know that I speak for all Albertans when I say that we are incredibly grateful for their efforts to protect our beloved mountain town.

As we look ahead, it's important to recognize how well Alberta's proactive forest management strategies are working, with more to do. By investing in prescribed burns, fireguards and harvesting practices, Alberta not only protects its natural heritage but also helps protect the safety and well-being of its citizens.

The wildfire in Jasper reminds us of how critical it is to focus on prevention and not just reacting when things go wrong. By pushing for robust forest management policies, we can create a future in which our forests thrive and our communities remain resilient in the face of wildfire challenges.

Thank you.

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