Michael Coutu is the Provincial FireSmart Specialist with Alberta Forestry and Parks, where he leads province-wide wildfire mitigation initiatives focused on strengthening community and fire service resilience. His work supports municipalities, Indigenous governments, and fire departments in implementing practical, scalable mitigation and preparedness strategies aligned with Alberta’s Wildfire Mitigation Strategy.

Michael works closely with fire chiefs and senior leaders to bridge provincial policy, community risk reduction, and on-the-ground fire service realities. His experience spans governance development, training programs, and cross-sector partnerships that support fire services beyond suppression—focusing on prevention, preparedness, and long-term resilience.

As a speaker, Michael brings a system-level perspective grounded in field experience, offering chiefs practical insight into how mitigation, community engagement, and interagency coordination can meaningfully reduce wildfire risk in Alberta communities.