January isn’t typically the time people talk about wildfires. But the devastating fires in Los Angeles have put this issue back into the headlines. Just six months ago, a similar disaster unfolded on a smaller scale north of the border in the Rocky Mountains, capturing global attention. This past summer’s wildfire in Jasper, Alberta, delivered a stark warning: Canada must urgently step up planning and prevention efforts to address the growing threat of wildfires. …As in L.A., the wildfire in Jasper didn’t come out of the blue. Experts have long warned of high and growing wildfire risk in the Jasper area, exacerbated by accumulated fuel from historical fire suppression and dead trees from pine beetle infestations. Eliminating wildfire risk entirely may not be possible for many communities, but it can be significantly reduced. Governments can use a range of tools and approaches to step up wildfire adaptation efforts.