2014 Fire Season Gets An Early Start

Fire Permits Required March 1

 Fire permits are required for all types of burning –- except a campfire (cooking and warming). If you live within the Forest Protection Area, please contact your local fire guardian to obtain your free fire permit. Albertans living outside the Forest Protection Area can contact their municipality for information about local fire permit requirements.

Fire permits are free – to request one, just call an Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Office. If you need the number, you can call 310-000 and someone from our Info Centre will connect you.

Please note – under the Forest and Prairie Protection Act, if you burn without a permit and accidentally start a wildfire – or even if firefighters are sent to check your smoke – you may be held responsible for the firefighting costs.

So why risk it? Get a permit. It’s fast, it’s free, and it will give you peace of mind

Burn Smart

Tips for a Successful Pile Burning:

• Keep the pile tall, tight and free of dirt for a complete burn
• Start fire small and feed it as it burns down
• Never leave a fire unattended

While the risk of starting a wildfire maybe low, holdover fires can happen. Holdover fires or ground fires often start during the fall and winter months as a result of improperly extinguished fires. This type of fire burns without smoke or flame and smolders underground over the winter. In the spring as snow melts and dry fuels become abundant, a little windy weather can set a blaze early in the wildfire season.

Remember Soak it, Stir up the ashes and Soak it again.

For more information contact:

Kelly Burke
Wildfire Information Officer
Grande Prairie Wildfire Management Area
Ph.(780) 538-5327
Cell.(780) 832 7235
Email: kelly.burke@gov.ab.ca