It may be the middle of winter, but work is already underway to mitigate the threat of wildfires in the Bow Valley area. Crews are constructing fire breaks, planning prescribed burns and ‘fire smarting’ communities to avoid a major disaster. CTV News had the opportunity to take part in an exclusive tour on Thursday with fire information officers from Banff National Park, Canmore, Lake Lousie and the MD of Bighorn. All of the organizations are working collaboratively to protect the Bow Valley. “Wildfires are not preventable, but we can help mitigate the risk,” said Canmore Deputy Fire Chief Mike Bourgin. “Wildfires are going to happen, but it’s a matter of us working together. It’s a matter of us making sure that we have the mitigation strategies and suppression strategies in place.”