Lesser Regional Wildfire Recovery Progress Report

The objective of the Regional Wildfire Recovery Plan is to return the region to its pre-disaster state, while ensuring that the communities are not socially, environmentally, or economically disadvantaged by the wildfire event, and are well positioned for future growth.

Tfromr Wildfirean Recoverysiti to oa Susntainableing Future

MAY 2011 STABILIZATION 2012 INTERMEDIATE RECOVERY 2013 TRANSITION 2014 + LONG-TERM RECOVERY

the first year of Recovery. This report is a summary of and managing the required trailers. The resulting events since then, laying the foundation for transition estimates were high and time frames long, so the GOA as the GOA Recovery presence scales back to regular elected to do it with internal resources and contractors. service programming and the Recovery Team winds The Interim Housing Project cost $42.8 million, not up in March 2014. including significant DRP spending, to prepare sites and install 233 trailers (32 in MD, 90 in Phoenix Heights, 80 The Regional Wildfire Recovery Plan in Sunset Place, 31 throughout the Town). The GOA also acquired and renovated a 34-unit apartment building. The Regional Wildfire Recovery Plan The project was completed in record time, with 80% of was jointly announced on August 3, 2011 by the GOA, resources and 60% of contractors sourced locally. Town, MD and the FN. The wildfires were a regional disaster that required a regional response. The Recovery First Anniversary Commemoration Plan required the close collaboration of the three local councils, their staffs, and their people. The Plan Introduction was wide-ranging and comprehensive, but granted considerable flexibility regarding projects and actual The wildfires of May 2011 and related response/ budget allocations. It follows the arc of activity from evacuation efforts have been well documented. Three initial emergency response, through stabilization and wildfires ignited in the region on May 14 and the intermediate recovery, to long-term, sustainable growth. Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124 (MD), the Town of Slave Lake (Town), and the Sawridge First Nation Funding: How the Response and Recovery (FN) declared states of local emergency. The following day, 100 KM/h winds stirred up the fires, resulting in Funds Provided by the Province Were Invested the loss of 333 homes, 169 apartments, 3 churches, In total, the GOA committed $289 million to the Regional Construction underway 10 businesses and the radio station in the Town and Wildfire Recovery Plan. Disaster Recovery Program 56 residences in Poplar Lane and the South Shore funding reimburses municipalities, their citizens, small hamlets of Canyon Creek and Widewater (which also businesses, provincial departments, and emergency In fall 2011, approximately 230 households were lost its firehall) in the MD. In all, about 22,000 hectares, responders for eligible costs related to uninsurable provided with interim housing for a two-year period, including properties, residences and forest was loss and damage. Initial response spending in the DRP coordinated by the Slave Lake Regional Housing destroyed. The fires resulted in the evacuation of more was budgeted at $125.3 million. In 2012, $29 million Authority and the GOA. In February 2013, recognizing than 14,000 regional residents and received international was transferred to the Community Stabilization Fund the importance of the interim housing to Recovery and attention for the devastation they caused. to address infrastructure repairs which were ineligible Transition efforts, the GOA agreed to consider extending The Government of (GOA) launched a for DRP funding. The net budget of $96.3 million was the program on Sunset Place until summer 2014. As of coordinated local and provincial emergency response invested in: May 2013, 63 households who lost residences remain and provided comprehensive recovery assistance to the • firefighting resources in interim housing, and about 130 people who have region, including both human and financial resources. • a contract with the Red Cross moved to the region since the fires are being temporarily housed while rebuilding is underway. This strong, coordinated response to an unprecedented • municipal Reception Centres for evacuees Alberta disaster was designed to provide support to • the Provincial Operations Centre Community Stabilization programs were budgeted families and individuals who lost their residences and at $85.7 million, with funding provided through grants • debris clean up and removal possessions and bolster the spirits of area citizens who to the Town or MD or directly to provincial departments. were all impacted. Importantly, the Province’s response • short term emergency housing, and Investment decisions for this funding are made by the looked to the longer-term to ensure the Lesser Slave Lake • other infrastructure and site remediation GOA with advice from the ADM Task Force and the Region would fully recover from the devastation and rise requirements Tri-Council (see page 3 – “Regional Governance: who again as a regional hub for industry, tourists, and residents. A major priority of the early phases of Recovery was does what?” for a discussion of the creation of the On May 15, 2012, the community and its partners came to get 558 households who lost residences back into Regional Tri-Council, CAO Secretariat and Regional together to mark the first anniversary of the wildfires. the community. A Request for Proposals was issued to Recovery Coordination Group). With local input, the GOA produced the One Year the private sector for a project that required extensive Stronger, Together review of accomplishments over clearing and landfill, installation of services, and sourcing Examples of this funding include: $64.2 million was allotted to Regional Recovery projects and about $24 million to address: • the initial emergency relief assistance to 14,943 and related activities. This funding is directly managed by • social wellness ($2 million) elected officials of the three regional governments and individuals (at $1250 per adult and $500 per child) • financial stabilization in addition to funding of totaling $14.5 million was originally budgeted based upon a list of key projects 2011 municipal revenue shortfalls provided in • small business loans totaling $13.5 million developed by local elected and administrative officials Community Stabilization ($6.25 million) in the early days after the wildfires. The budget involved • property tax relief to replace the shortfall in municipal • firefighting resources ($600,000) both “pure” Recovery projects “to return the region to revenues from destroyed houses and commercial • capital projects ($11.6 million) buildings totaling $1.5 million in 2011 (an additional its pre-disaster state“ and those designed to ensure the $6.25 million was set aside for financial stabilization region is “well positioned for future growth.” The Tri- • municipal staffing support ($1.5 million) as noted on page 2) Council performs an oversight function for the investment • small business and economic development • education stabilization funding ($1.4 million) to of Recovery funds held in trust. Once an investment is ($900,000) ensure staffing stability endorsed, the project is assigned to either the MD or • regional transit ($1 million) Town as a sponsor, and an application is prepared to the • $4.5 million to fund the Regional Recovery To date, the Tri-Council has endorsed projects GOA. Once approved, funds are administered by the CAO Coordination Group (RRCG) totaling almost $50 million (2011: $ 4.2 million; 2012: Secretariat and executed by the RRCG, local government • $29 million was re-allocated from DRP for long-term $15.5 million; 2013 year-to-date: $28.8 million). infrastructure replacement in the Town staff, contractors, and/or partners. Recovery program activities have also allowed the As the Tri-Council, CAO Secretariat and RRCG began to region to leverage additional funds for a community Regional Recovery Projects Coordinated crystallize work plans, specific programs and projects wellness conference, education and health programs by Tri-Council ($64.2 million) emerged, including a model community FireSmart and equipment, a regional professional recruitment and program ($20 million), a Regional Waterline ($20 million) Of the $289 million Wildfire Recovery Plan funding, retention video, and a comprehensive Regional Land Use & Economic Development Plan initiated in 2013. FireSmart Major projects $20 million

Almost a third of the Recovery Project budget Cross Training regional fire personnel who overseen by the Tri-Council was allocated to create usually fight structural fires on wildland a model FireSmart Community to implement and firefighting techniques demonstrate FireSmart principles on a regional scale. FireSmart is a nationally recognized initiative Inter-agency Cooperation to ensure an designed to help home and property owners integrated planning, communications, training reduce the threat of wildfires in the “wildland/urban and response process interface” where wildlands and human residences meet. The interface occurs when we extend our In November 2011, the Tri-Council endorsed initial Removing yard debris lifestyle and communities further into forested areas, FireSmart initiatives totaling $1.9 million, including: becoming more exposed to wildfires. For more • development of community plans ($200,000) information about FireSmart and tips regarding your • creating vegetation management demonstration Fuel Management Program own property, please visit www.livefiresmart.ca. areas ($750,000) Vegetation management is by far the largest • acquiring supplementary firefighting equipment single investment and most visible component Citizen involvement is the cornerstone of a successful ($940,000) of our regional FireSmart program. FireSmart FireSmart program. The program helps reduce the • setting up a FireSmart Education program crews – regional FireSmart personnel, Sawridge risk to life, communities, resources and infrastructure; ($100,000) FN crews, ESRD crews, contract crews and promotes principles and actions for individuals and forest industry partnerships working on companies; provides information to stakeholder Since then, Tri-Council has endorsed additional Forest Management Agreement lands – have audiences; and brings communities and organizations investments in the FireSmart Seven Disciplines for a completed 830 of the 1390 hectares identified in detailed regional hazard assessment and fuels together to work cooperatively to plan and prepare total allocation of almost $11.5 million. This includes management strategies outlined in the 2012 for effective response to future wildfires. review and implementation of the Sawridge FN Wildfire Mitigation Strategy (posted on FireSmart plan ($500,000), and assembling a full www.livefiresmart.ca). time interface work crew and machinery to enable the Regional Fire Services to take ownership of all Approximately $3.4 million of the $6.26 million vegetation management budget endorsed by FireSmart activities in the region ($1,517,000) and Tri-Council has been spent or committed to $500,000 for engineering and installation of dry date. This map shows completed and proposed hydrants and water access sites for fire suppression vegetation management programs, which range in the MD. from thinning, pruning and mulching to removal of “dead-and-down” timber and commercial FireSmart is designed to be a long-term, sustainable harvesting. Marten Beach and Widewater are program in the Lesser Slave Lake Region. In April examples of completed FireSmart treatments. 2013, a new FireSmart Committee was formed to In early 2013, FRAT worked with local timber ensure the sustainability of the regional program companies and small sawmill operators to beyond the Recovery/Transition period. Made leverage commercial harvesting activities FireSmart crew up of elected and administrative officials, GOA near Highway 2 east of the Town and near the representatives, subject experts, community leaders, of Widewater to the west. Although the In 2011, the Tri-Council endorsed the creation of the and forest industry stakeholders, the committee will harvesting of hazardous fire-prone stands initially FireSmart Regional Action Team (FRAT) working be advisory in nature and take a holistic approach appears very rough, natural regeneration will group, composed of representatives from the Town, to the philosophy, practices, and communication of result in stands of aspen and other fire-resistant MD and Sawridge FN, the CAO Secretariat, and FireSmart to area residents. FRAT has evolved into deciduous species, which are typically the first experts from FireSmart and Alberta Sustainable a technical advisory group that contributes to, to grow in harvested areas. This should allow for Resource Development (now ESRD). FRAT’s mandate advises, and supports the new Committee, several decades of reduced fire hazard. was to create model FireSmart communities in which in turn the Lesser Slave Lake region, following the Seven evaluates and makes Disciplines of FireSmart: recommendations regarding investment  of people living in wildfire-prone areas Education of the balance of the such as our region; this is done through in-school allotted $20 million programs, community events, and property inspections budget. A key mandate of the new committee Fuel Management, which involves thinning, pruning and removal of vegetation, including clear-cutting of will be to help FRAT trees in key areas and Tri-Council achieve a sustainable cultural Legislation , including residential construction shift that engages and design bylaws, sprinklers and potentially regional residents spark retarders on off-road vehicles and results in a broad-based uptake Development Guidelines for builders and planners of FireSmart plans and practices. Emergency Response and Pre-response Planning, Fire Control agreements, and regional emergency response exercises (see page 4) Major projects Regional Recovery Governance – who does what? From the outset, local leadership and the GOA recognized that the region would need greater human resource capacity to drive the Recovery REGIONAL while managing regular day-to-day municipal and FN government roles. The Slave Lake Recovery Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) Task Force was WATER SUPPLY formed to provide oversight and direction and $20 million coordinate the efforts of 12 GOA departments. It continues to do so today. A second major component of the locally-driven Stage 1 provides treated water from the Town Locally, the Recovery Plan presented a unique Recovery Project budget is the conceptualization, to Bayer Road and Poplar Lane plus additional opportunity for the three elected councils to work evaluation, design and construction of a regional treated water storage capacity in Canyon Creek. together to create a model of inter-jurisdictional water line. This would not only improve the reliability This addresses the priority of improving treated cooperation to address immediate needs and and safety of treated water in the region, but also water supply and incremental fire protection to create and execute a longer term vision. The Plan recognized that the regional municipal and First address concerns regarding regional growth potential, populated areas, with the Town as a regional Nation governments were closest to the people raw water supply intakes and quality issues, and the hub. It can proceed quickly, as extension of the and had the best understanding of local needs need for adequate water for fire suppression. Tri- existing distribution systems does not require and community aspirations. The key to a successful Council agreed that the proposed water line system extensive design, land acquisition, assessment recovery was collaborative local leadership. must have regional benefit and provide reliability or regulatory approval. The three councils came together in May 2011, and redundancy as well as emergency support provides raw water to the Town from an and evolved into a formal “Regional Tri-Council” capabilities between stakeholders. Stage 2 in the fall. This unique governing body has a third intake near Wagner to improve raw water supply party Chair and uses the consensus model to An engineering firm was hired to complete reliability for the region and fire suppression guide the Recovery efforts with the support of the a scoping study and provide Tri-Council with capabilities to additional areas. It will take longer GOA. The Tri-Council meets monthly at a formal options to address these needs. In April 2013, to complete the design and approval processes, public meeting to review progress and planning after extensive discussion with regional officials, as well as determining the intake location, etc. and endorses financial investment in Recovery Associated Engineering provided Tri-Council with projects. The mandate is to guide the timely a comprehensive $57.9 million project which can Stages 3 through 5 will be addressed in the return to normal and get maximum value from the be completed in five stages. Staging is a common future as funding allows, and growth demands. resources provided by the GOA. The Tri-Council method employed by many municipalities to The stages could extend treated water supply, structure will be maintained after the transition spread the large capital costs of large infrastructure add treated water system redundancy, and period to continue collaborative regional projects. The project plan initially focuses efforts provide new treated water supply to Mitsue. planning and cooperation in the future. to meet treated water needs in populated areas and provide long-term reliability To New Martin Beach in raw water supply. This can be Treated Water Reservoir 200mm dia. Widewater Treated Watermain . Existing Lake Intake Reservoir achieved in two stages totaling Truckfill Supply to Assineau

Booster Station ^_Canyon Creek about $27 million, endorsed in Q3 )"2 Widewater BS ^_ Proposed Widewater Raw Water Intake April. Tri-Council and the Secretariat 300 mm dia. Reservoir Wagner Treated Watermain ^_ 450 mm dia. Lesser Slave Lake 250 mm dia. Raw Watermain are currently investigating options Treated Watermain

BS

to fund the first two stages, and x d

m Booster Station . s

n (for Supply from East) o i t )"88 p O r e t

a Sawridge 150H W l

a ^_ n o

have requested that any remaining i Sawridge 150G

g 250 mm dia. e

R ^_ Sawridge 150G _ Legend Treated Watermain 4 2

1 ^_

D Sawridge 150G M

_ Sawridge 150G 1 Existing Lake Intake Q3 ^_ E e

r ^_ u

contingency Recovery Project g The Regional Tri-Council, composed of elected i F d \ Q3 Existing Water Treatment Plant s Sawridge 150G a e l i o F ^_ w e R i Slave Lake Sawridge 150G

V Existing Water Reservoir r c representatives of the Town, MD and FN r ^_ ^_ A e \ s y l i a t budgets be allocated to the project Stage 1, Proposed Treated High Flow Watermain a e D B !O a t a D Mitsue y _ Stage 2, Proposed Raw Watermain 150 mm dia. r 450mm dia. PRV Station v e Treated Watermain ^_ c o

e Treated Watermain R l

by the GOA. a Stage 3, Proposed Treated Low Flow Watermain n o i

g )"2 e R _

S Stage 4, Proposed Treated High Flow Watermain Poplar Lane I G \

n ^_ g The Tri-Council held an initial formative meeting i s

e BS

D Stage 4, Proposed Treated Low Flow Watermain

_ 450mm dia. y t i l i Treated Watermain b s i a

e Stage 5, Proposed Treated Low Flow Watermain F _ l a

on September 21, 2011, and since its first formal u t p e

c Existing Treated Watermain n o C _ 0 0 .

3 Existing Raw Watermain 0 \ g n

meeting on October 20, 2011, has held 18 formal i r e e n

i Lakes/Waterbodies g n E y \ r

v e Urban Center/Towns

c o TRI-COUNCIL REGIONAL RECOVERY e

meetings and reviewed and processed almost 200 R _ l a

n Water Supply Scoping Study o i g e R

_ Preferred Option 0 0 \ 7 3

motions ranging from procedural to significant 5 Staging Plan 3 2 1

0 Scale: 1:100,000 2 \ : P

: March, 2013 h t 2012-3537 a Figure E-1 investment decisions. A Tri-Council Governance P Protocol was signed by the Town, the MD and the First Nation on June 20, 2012. Major projects OTHER RECOVERY

CAO Secretariat PROJECTS $24.23 million The Tri-Council provides strategic direction, oversight and endorsement for regional recovery budgets and priorities. Reflecting municipal The Recovery Plan included funding for many Tri-Council was given a mandate to oversee and and First Nation governance structures, the Tri- significant, but smaller projects to be defined leverage a $2 million community wellness budget, Council is supported on a daily basis by the Chief by the Tri-Council. invested in a wide array of projects. Administrative Officer Secretariat, made up This includes: the CAOs of the Town and MD and the Executive Approximately $50,000 was budgeted to mark the • recruitment and retention of health care Director of the Sawridge FN. The Town has also first anniversary of the fire and remember helicopter professionals ($260,000) contracted a Recovery Manager to manage pilot Jean-Luc Deba, who lost his life during the • acquisition of medical equipment and enhanced projects on a daily basis as part of the Secretariat. emergency response. This was augmented with medical video services ($350,000) Funding in the Community Stabilization budget other funding from the Recovery Project and several • health and wellness training ($300,000) provided for the creation of the Regional GOA departments. While planning was kept low-key • counseling in schools ($80,000) Recovery Coordination Group (RRCG). This to allow residents to mark the occasion as they saw team supports the efforts of the Secretariat and fit, events included a Kinette fun day in the park, • a Triple P Parenting program ($102,000) Tri-Council. The RRCG will wind down in 2014 as a Main Street BBQ at the Legion, a Round Dance • seniors programming ($154,000) Recovery efforts and governance transition back at the field house hosted by the Sawridge FN, and to local governments. • increased volunteer capacity ($40,000) numerous block party BBQs throughout the region. An official commemoration was held in Slave Lake Tri-Council endorsed $4 million and the MD on May 15 2012, contributed significant additional capital to rebuild and the unveiling of and expand the Widewater Fire Hall lost in the the Jean Luc Deba wildfires and build a new fire hall in Mitsue. The memorial in Canyon Widewater facility is now in service and will be Creek was one of officially opened as the Cambridge Fire Hall this the concluding summer, commemorating the 2011 visit of the Duke RRCG Team anniversary events. and Duchess of Cambridge. Construction of the Mitsue hall is underway. A Health sub- committee of Major projects PHASED RECOVERY The Recovery Phase began when the States of diamond will be renovated to accommodate both Local Emergency were lifted on June 1, 2011. The emergency responders withdrew from the Lesser men’s league and slo-pitch play. The enhancements Slave Lake Region, handing responsibility for the will provide a new home base for the Slo-Pitch area back to local authorities. The Recovery has league, which was displaced following the 2011 fire. had several distinct phases that evolved over time. The first, theStabilization Phase (June – The original Recovery Plan included $3.64 million August 2011) was characterized by transition and for construction or renovation of an evacuation/ assessment activities, including: reception centre to support residents impacted by • winding down the local emergency flooding or wildfires. Rather than building a single configuration and processes facility, Tri-Council elected to invest $1 million in • stabilizing the operational capacity of renovations in Smith, $250,000 towards construction local authorities of a Sawridge FN community centre, and $2,390,000 • assessing damage and community needs Tri-Council has endorsed $1.8 million to replace the in the Regional Legacy Project, which can also serve and how best to mitigate them ball diamonds lost to the interim housing needs. The as a reception centre. • coordination of re-entry and removal of debris from destroyed residences new and improved baseball facilities will be located at Sinclair and Charity parks, on the east and west Alberta Transportation is working with local • creative use of local waste management authorities to complete a $1.1 million upgrade of facilities and introduction of a massive of the intersection of Highway 88 and Caribou Trail. recycling project for all wood, steel, and Sinclair Park is an existing minor ball tournament the intersection of Highways 2 and 88 to reduce concrete from site with T-Ball, Midget, Peewee and Bantam for congestion from turning trucks. Work will be the destroyed areas youth. Sinclair will be renovated with rebuilt Peewee completed in 2013. • assessing how best to support local authorities and Bantam diamonds and a renovated Midget in the near and long terms And finally, the Recovery Plan called for a $1 million Diamond. Grass infields will replace shale infields. • coordinating the support provided by a wide noise barrier to replace the burned out stand of There will be a new 70-stall asphalt parking lot range of government and non-governmental trees between residences in the Town’s southeast and asphalt trails will provide better access for agencies and Highway 88. After significant community pedestrians and cyclists. Charity Park contains two • responding to immediate needs engagement and discussion, the landscape men’s league ball diamonds. Two Slo-Pitch fenced The second significant phase, the architects designed a series of land features, Intermediate diamonds will be added on the east and southwest Recovery Phase, began when schools re-opened vegetation and fence segments between residences portions of the site and the infield of one existing in September 2011. Families and students and the busy transportation corridor. “officially” returned, the first interim housing became available, the first rebuilt home was occupied, and Councils began to meet formally as Major projects the Tri-Council, supported by the CAO Secretariat and a small RRCG. Emergency Response Planning

A key learning from the 2011 wildfires was the and a review of the LSRFS organization and need for an up-to-date, coordinated regional procedures, including cross training. In April 2013, emergency response plan aligned with the new the Lesser Slave Regional Emergency Response The third significant phase, the Long-term province-wide Incident Command System to support Plan was completed. The regional ERP now includes Recovery Phase probably began with the August the Lesser Slave Regional Fire Service (LSRFS) tactical guides, auxiliary power generation, and 29, 2012 meeting of the Tri-Council. It is now and local Environment and Sustainable Resource enhanced public communications using social well underway as the region transitions from a Development (ESRD) staff. In May 2012, LSRFS media and the Alberta Emergency Alert System. period of active GOA support and engagement personnel received comprehensive fire operations Two one-day workshops were run for about 50 to a sustainable future led and delivered by local training specifically dealing with fires in the wildlands people to familiarize them with the Plan, train on the officials, staff, and area residents. interface area. In August 2012, Tri-Council endorsed Alert System, and conduct a table-top emergency a comprehensive Emergency Preparedness Review simulation exercise.

Major projects

CONTRIBUTING COMPANIES The Regional Legacy Project

On November 27, 2012, a group of 12 oil and gas consulting with communities to generate ideas companies joined with Tri-Council representatives around this generous donation, the Tri-Council to announce a donation of $6.4 million towards identified a new multi-purpose, family-oriented establishment of a community facility as a positive space that will create a positive legacy from the legacy of the wildfires. wildfires that had such a serious impact on all region The energy partners residents. The proposed facility will be built on had come forward with the 6th Avenue Elks Lodge site, and include a day offers of help soon care and playground, theatre/arts space, FireSmart after the fires. Due to information centre, and a renovated Elks Lodge capacity issues and building. It and surrounding facilities also have the the nature of the early potential to serve as a regional evacuation centre. stabilization phase of Although the final budget will be refined as further recovery, they agreed discussion and design work is completed, this will it would be best to likely cost approximately $12 million. The $6.4 wait until intermediate million from industry partners will be augmented recovery was well with funds from the Recovery budget (~$4.2 underway before million) and other donations from a community/ trying to envision what industry campaign. A Request for Proposal has been the legacy would issued for design services, and work is underway to look like. refine a business plan for the project’s operations. Artist’s rendering of potential facility Ground breaking will likely occur early in 2014, with In 2012, after completion expected in 2016.