Council for Clearwater County has thrown its support behind a grant application to continue a provincial program aimed at structural protection needs during a wildfire.

Members of the Wildland Urban Interface Program (WUI) came before Clearwater County council recently to ask for their endorsement in order to proceed in the grant application process that would allow for the WUI team and its program to continue.

The WUI program is described as a team of specialists who respond to structure protection needs within a wildfire. In 2019, Clearwater County was successful in getting a $580,000 grant to be one of two municipal fire departments selected to build a WUI structural program team, funded by the Province through the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association.

The initial 18-month grant ended on Jan. 31, 2021 and the next month, a grant agreement extension was received to continue the program until Mar. 31, 2021. During that time period, the WUI program transitioned from the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association to Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.

In March of 2021, Clearwater County was awarded $458,000 for another year of hosting the WUI program that would help support the 2021-22 wildfire season.

As the Province now completes it fiscal year, officials say there is indication the WUI could yet again be approved for an additional period between one to three years. In late February 2022, Clearwater County applied for a $1.5 million grant through the Alberta Community Partnership (ACP).

The ACP grant application requires council’s formal endorsement to proceed. Council endorsed the application last month.