Nestled in east-central Alberta along the banks of the Battle River, Forestburg has deep roots in both agriculture and resource extraction. European settlers first arrived in the area in 1905, and by 1907 homesteaders were already extracting coal from small informal workings known as “gopher hole” mines along the riverbanks. The Canadian Northern Railway reached the area in 1916, the site was formally surveyed in 1919, and Forestburg was subsequently incorporated as a village. Today, the local economy rests on four main pillars: farming, coal mining, oil and gas activity, and power generation. Major employers include Atco Power Ltd. and Westmoreland Coal, and the village serves as the headquarters of the Battle River Railway, a community co-operative railway that was established in 2009.
According to the 2021 Canadian Census, Forestburg had a population of 807 residents living in 373 of its 417 private dwellings, representing a decline of roughly 8.3 percent from the 880 people recorded in 2016. The village covers a land area of 4.04 square kilometres, giving it a population density of approximately 199.8 people per square kilometre. Notable people from the community include Evan Oberg, a professional hockey player.