Few places are as safe from hazards as Thorncliff: it beats 98% of Canadian towns
The national fire record shows next to nothing around Thorncliff, 0% of the land within 25 km since 1986 (0.000% a year). Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.013 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical). Radon is lower than usual: 1.4% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. Thorncliff grades A+ for hazard risk, with wildfire counted against it.
What stands out about Thorncliff’s hazards
For Thorncliff, from NRCan’s seismic model, Health Canada’s radon survey, the national burned-area record and the flood map inventory.
What Thorncliff faces
Each hazard against its own yardstick; meters run from low to high on that yardstick.
Wildfire
Earthquakes
Radon
Flood study
Thorncliff grades A+ for hazard risk
Two inputs always count for Thorncliff, earthquakes and radon; the third, wildfire, counts only against a town.
Its place: #11 of 474 in Alberta and #22 of 2,589 Canadian towns.
How sure: The seismic figure is a long-run average from NRCan’s model, not a prediction. The radon share rests on 73 home tests in the survey area, so a few homes move it. The burned-area record misses fires under about 10 ha and most grass and farm fires.
Wildfire is rare near Thorncliff: 0% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986, 0% within 5 km
Fires mapped since 1986 around where Thorncliff’s residents live, and the fuel next to their homes.
Around Thorncliff fire takes 0.000% of the land in a typical year, the typical Canadian town 0.000%, which is low.
Fire has stayed at least 23 km from Thorncliff’s homes since 1986.
Forest fuel is scarce around Thorncliff: 0.3% of the land within 5 km, 0.6% within 25 km.
Shares of land within 5 and 25 km of populated blocks: burned at least once in 1986–2025 (CWFIS burned-area composite), forest fuel and grass (fire behaviour fuel types, 2026, 250 m grid).
Burn rate a year, towns in Alberta · highest of 478
Of the 478 towns in Alberta, 386 have a burn rate that rounds to zero, Thorncliff among them; Wainwright leads at 1.43% a year.
Each bar: the yearly average share of land within 25 km of a town’s homes that burned, 1986–2025 (CWFIS); the seven highest towns of 2,500 people or more.
Measured against 2,610 towns, Thorncliff is in the largest group, low (92%), and at its floor, while 7.5% rank higher.
Bands of the yearly burn rate: low under 0.05%, moderate under 0.25%, high under 1%, very high 1% or more; towns of 2,500 people or more.
Fire danger and active fires (CWFIS)
Canadian Wildland Fire Information System: National Burned Area Composite 1986–2025 and fire behaviour fuel types (2026), Natural Resources Canada. Measured within 25 km and 5 km of each populated dissemination area; past fire, not a forecast.
The flood map inventory lists nothing for Thorncliff
Flood studies whose area touches Thorncliff, from NRCan’s inventory, each linked to its owner.
No flood study on the national inventory covers Thorncliff; ask the municipality, which is the authority for its flood maps.
Towns with a flood study on file
Thorncliff has no flood study on file; only 46% of towns in Alberta do, against 58% across Canada.
NRCan Canada Flood Map Inventory: a study footprint touching the town’s boundary; towns of 2,500 people or more.
The grade leaves flood out, since a study area says nothing about how many of Thorncliff’s homes are at risk.
The inventory’s own caution (NRCan): “The Canada Flood Map (CFM) does not include every flood hazard map in Canada and may be incomplete or contain inaccuracies. It should not be relied upon as the official source of flood mapping information. Furthermore, if a map appears to be missing, this does not necessarily mean that the area has never been mapped. For the official version of a map, updated information, or confirmation of applicable regulations, please contact the local authority responsible for flood mapping.”
Earthquakes cost buildings in Thorncliff just $0.013 per $1,000 a year
NRCan’s seismic risk model: the damage shaking is expected to do to buildings each year, on average over many years.
Thorncliff’s $0.013 is a fraction of the typical town’s $0.030 (0.4 times as much): quiet ground by Canadian standards.
Shaking damage a year per $1,000 of building value
The median in Alberta is $0.013; Thorncliff, at $0.013, is right beside it, and Black Diamond tops the list at $0.048.
NRCan seismic risk model (2022): mean yearly building loss per $1,000 of value; medians of towns of 2,500 people or more.
Most of Canada’s 2,611 towns (75%) face more earthquake damage than Thorncliff.
Each column: the share of Canada’s towns of 2,500 people or more in that range of yearly loss per $1,000 (NRCan, 2022).
For Thorncliff the model prices shaking damage to buildings, nothing more.
Natural Resources Canada, Canada’s Seismic Risk Model (2022), by census subdivision (2016 boundaries; a few 2021 subdivisions take their residents’ mean). · Earthquake risk: the city of Edmonton
Little radon around Thorncliff: 1.4% of area homes over the guideline
Health Canada’s survey of long-term home tests: the share above the 200 Bq/m³ guideline.
Fewer homes than usual test high around Thorncliff: 1.4% against 6.6% for the typical Canadian town. Thorncliff doesn’t get its own radon tests figures; the ones here come from the Capital Health.
Tested homes over 200 Bq/m³
Over 600 Bq/m³
Thorncliff’s area, at 1.4%, is below the median in Alberta (7.5%).
Health Canada radon survey (2009–2011), by 2007 health region; medians of towns of 2,500 people or more.
Radon rarely tops the guideline around Thorncliff, as for 37% of Canada’s 2,611 towns; 63% see more.
Each bar: the share of Canada’s towns of 2,500 people or more whose survey area had that share of tests over 200 Bq/m³.
A low area share in Thorncliff doesn’t clear a house, nor does a high one condemn it: test.
Health Canada, Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Concentrations in Homes (2009–2011).
Where to get warnings in Thorncliff
Environment and Climate Change Canada issues the weather alerts for Thorncliff; Alert Ready carries the urgent ones to phones, radio and TV.
| Alert | What it means |
|---|---|
| Warning | Severe weather is happening or about to: act now. |
| Watch | Conditions favour severe weather: be ready. |
| Advisory | Weather that is less severe but could disrupt the day. |
| Special weather statement | Unusual weather worth knowing about. |
| Special air quality statement | Poor air, often wildfire smoke. |
For fires near Thorncliff, the national fire information system maps danger and active fires daily; local authorities give any evacuation order.
Weather alerts (ECCC) · Alert Ready · Fire danger and active fires (CWFIS)
Hazards in the places around Thorncliff
The same four hazards for the places next door.
| Town | Wildfire | Quake $/1,000 | Radon | Flood study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thorncliff | Low | $0.013 | 1.4% | None listed |
| West Meadowlark Park 5,386 · 1.1 km | Low | $0.013 | 1.4% | None listed |
| Aldergrove 5,311 · 1.3 km | Low | $0.013 | 1.4% | None listed |
| Elmwood 2,522 · 1.3 km | Low | $0.013 | 1.4% | None listed |
| Belmead 3,970 · 1.5 km | Low | $0.013 | 1.4% | None listed |
| Callingwood South 7,844 · 1.6 km | Low | $0.013 | 1.4% | None listed |
| La Perle 7,889 · 1.9 km | Low | $0.013 | 1.4% | None listed |
The neighbour with the most fire is West Meadowlark Park (low), still no more than Thorncliff (low).
Radon is the survey area’s figure, so neighbours in one area share it.
Get ready for what Thorncliff faces
What to do about the hazards Thorncliff faces, and what to ask before you buy.
- Test for three months in winter.
- Over 200 Bq/m³: fix it.
- Kits are cheap; pros test too.
- Never drive through floodwater.
- Move papers and medicines upstairs.
- Ask whether your street is mapped.
- Clear needles and wood nearby.
- Keep a grab-and-go bag ready.
- In smoke, stay in; filter air.
- Has it had a radon test?
- Ask the municipality for flood maps.
- Are flood and wildfire insured?
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Flood studies aren’t flood zones. Flood studies cover areas of every size, which is why the page lists them for Thorncliff without grading them.
- Earthquakes are modelled. The earthquake figure is an expected loss, not a forecast, worked out by NRCan for each census subdivision, Thorncliff’s included.
- Wildfire counts one way. Burned land within 25 km of where people live, averaged over 1986–2025 and checked for fuel near homes, is the measure; it looks back, not ahead, and only ever counts against Thorncliff.
- Radon is a survey. Radon figures pool the survey’s home tests by area: postal areas once their boundaries arrive, the 2007 health region around Thorncliff until then.
Questions about flooding and hazards in Thorncliff
Is Thorncliff at risk of wildfire?
Less than most of Canada: 0% of the land within 25 km of Thorncliff has burned since 1986, the last in 2023, a low band that leaves Risk alone.
How is Thorncliff’s Hazard risk Grade worked out?
Thorncliff grades A+ for hazard risk, from earthquakes and radon, with wildfire counted only where it lowers the grade.
Does Thorncliff flood?
Nothing is listed for Thorncliff on the national inventory (0); local maps may still exist with the municipality.
Is radon a problem in Thorncliff?
In Health Canada’s survey, 1.4% of 73 homes tested in Thorncliff’s area were above 200 Bq/m³, though only a test tells you about one house.
How big is the earthquake risk in Thorncliff?
About $0.013 a year per $1,000 of building value, NRCan’s long-run expectation for Thorncliff.
Seismic risk: Natural Resources Canada. Radon: Health Canada. Wildfire: Canadian Wildland Fire Information System. Flood studies: Natural Resources Canada, Canada Flood Map Inventory. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Sources: NRCan, Canada’s Seismic Risk Model 2022 · Health Canada, Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Concentrations in Homes · CWFIS, National Burned Area Composite and FBP fuel types · NRCan, Canada Flood Map Inventory. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).