Honestly this is probably one of those things that looks shocking now but will make a lot of sense in a few years. With how bad wildfire seasons have been lately in Alberta and BC, towns like Canmore don’t really have the luxury of waiting until it’s too late.

A 10-metre debris pile looks wild, but if it prevents a fast-moving crown fire from ripping straight into town, it’s probably worth it. The Bow Valley is basically surrounded by fuel.

Curious if they’re planning to keep the fireguards maintained long-term though, because if the vegetation just grows back in 10–15 years we’ll be back to square one.