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Fire Services
Protecting Life & Property
The standard of care for fire services is the protection of life and property. The duty of care is to ensure our firefighters are trained and have the proper equipment to fulfill these requirements.Fire Departments
The County of Wetaskiwin includes 5 fire protection areas, which are serviced by 6 different fire departments:
- Buck Lake / Alder Flats Fire Department
- East / West Millet Fire Department
- Mulhurst Bay Fire Department
- South Pigeon Lake Fire Department
- Wetaskiwin Rural Fire Department
- Winfield Fire Department
Capital Equipment Upgrades
All of the fire departments plan and upgrade equipment on a yearly basis; these capital upgrades and new purchases are planned on a 5 year basis.
Administration & Funding
County fire protection is provided by a cross section of both County departments and agreements for service with departments in other municipalities. The departments are administered by a Board of Directors. In addition to capital costs which include new fire halls, equipment and fire trucks, the County provides an additional annual operational fire grant to each fire department.
User Fees
Effective June 1, 2025, the County of Wetaskiwin updated its fire services billing to align with Alberta Transportation fire billing rates. These changes aim to improve cost recovery for fire response and support critical investments in fire protection services across the County.
On March 10, 2026, Council approved Fire Services Bylaw 2026/15 following three readings, officially repealing Bylaw 2025/02. The updated bylaw introduces clarified property definitions and reinstates maximum fire protection charge limits - $25,000 for residential properties and $50,000 for farm properties - when landowners meet all bylaw and permit requirements and are not grossly negligent. The County will also engage with Fire Marque, a third-party organization, to help recover eligible fire‑response costs through homeowners’ insurance. In addition, Schedule B has been revised to remove fixed rates and instead use Alberta Transportation’s annually adjusted fire apparatus rates.
These charges are authorized by the Fire Services Bylaw.
DO YOU HAVE PROPER FIREFIGHTING INSURANCE?
Most standard homeowner, tenant, and farm insurance policies in Alberta include coverage for fire damage to property, but they may not adequately cover the actual costs of firefighting services (trucks, personnel, equipment) charged by municipalities. These fees can reach thousands of dollars, particularly in rural areas.
Residents are encouraged to have a minimum of $25,000.00 for Residential Properties and $50,000.00 for Farm Properties (Fire Services Bylaw, Part 14 – Fire Protection Charges).
Residents are strongly encouraged to review their insurance policies to confirm that firefighting costs are covered, as fire protection charges will be levied for all responses.