Beyond the Building: FireSmart Development in Practice
Workshop Session
How do we move wildfire resilience beyond individual buildings and embed it into the way communities are planned, developed, and maintained? Led by Simon Bagshaw, Regional FireSmart Coordinator, and Michael Coutu, Provincial FireSmart Specialist with the Government of Alberta, this interactive workshop will explore how FireSmart principles can be integrated throughout the development lifecycle. Participants will examine how site planning, subdivision design, access, landscaping, servicing, and long-term maintenance influence wildfire risk, and consider the roles of developers, builders, municipalities, property owners, and other partners. Using a development-focused scenario, the session will explore practical opportunities, trade-offs, and barriers to implementation, while identifying where education, incentives, policy, development requirements, or regulation may be most effective. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to align FireSmart principles with planning and development realities to support more wildfire-resilient communities.
Michael Coutu
Michael Coutu is a FireSmart Specialist with the Government of Alberta, working to advance community wildfire mitigation and resilience across the province. His career spans fire service, emergency management, training, and community capacity building, including work with Indigenous communities throughout Alberta. Michael holds a Bachelor of Technology in Management and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Adult Education. His work focuses on connecting practical wildfire risk reduction with community planning, partnerships, education, and long-term resilience.
Simon Bagshaw
Simon Bagshaw is the Regional FireSmart Coordinator for the Town of Canmore, Municipal District of Bighorn and Kananaskis Improvement District. He is responsible for promoting FireSmart principles and practices at the neighbourhood level, working directly with residents and homeowners; carrying out FireSmart Home Assessments and supporting implementation of FireSmart Canada's Neighbourhood Recognition Program. Simon is also responsible for coordinating FireSmart fuel treatments within the Town of Canmore and supports the incorporation of FireSmart principles into relevant policy and regulatory processes, including regarding land use and development. He is the principal author of the Town of Canmore's revised Wildfire Mitigation Strategy. Simon has lived in Canmore since July 2020. He holds a certificate in the Fundamentals of Wildland Fire Ecology and Management from the UBCO. Prior to working in this field, he worked in international humanitarian response, including 20 years with the United Nations.