Fearful of attacks by Taliban and al Qaeda insurgents, Canadian soldiers are fortifying the compound that is home to Canada's new Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan.

Braving the Kandahar heat on Tuesday, military engineers erected razor wire around the PRT compound and filled steel mesh security barriers with sand and rock inside the camp's walls.

Most of the work was done early this morning to avoid the mid-day temperatures which can reach 45 degrees Celsius  or higher.

"We use whatever force necessary to ensure this compound is secure and that our patrols are secure when they go out the gate," Lieut. Andrew Bone, of CFB Edmonton, told CTV News.

The Canadian soldiers arrived in Kandahar two weeks ago to carry out development projects in the region.

They say they are willing to use lethal force if necessary against an insurgent minority intent on disrupting elections planned for September.

"When you project an image that you're ready for a fight, they'll go somewhere else to look for a fight," Commander Robbie Ball told CTV.

An American team, also known as a PRT, has used the compound since late 2002, but focused more of its attention on protecting people travelling outside the camp.

The U.S. team, which has mostly departed, consisted of fewer than 100 people at its peak. Canada's PRT has 250 soldiers, and will soon include members of the RCMP, Foreign Affairs and the Canadian International Development Agency.

The PRT is Canada's newest foray into Afghanistan's volatile southern Kandahar region, with an aim of improving security in the region and helping to rebuild local and national government infrastructure.

The added security measures for the camp might reassure soldiers inside, but their biggest worry lies on the other side of the wire.

A major potential threat comes from the use of improvised explosive devices, what the military refers to as IEDs.

Such devices can be made from just about anything, but largely consist of old mortars, grenades or other types of explosives that are modified for use as home-made bombs.

One IED exploded in March, just outside the gates of the compound, injuring one of four U.S. soldiers who were out on patrol.

Afghan National Police provide added security around the compound, and the Canadian soldiers rely on them to gather information from local residents about any suspect activity -- the goal being to detect any threats before they can reach the camp.

The history of the camp suggests that the threat of a direct attack against it is low, but the Canadian soldiers aren't taking any chances.

"This is a high threat environment and if Canada wants to be a player on the international stage and make a difference to international security in countries like Afghanistan, we have to be prepared," Col. Steve Bowes told CTV News.