WILDFIRE HAZARD
Snow and cooler temperatures will continue over the weekend, the forecast is for warmer temperatures to return next week. These conditions are keeping the wildfire hazard LOW for the Whitecourt Forest Area.
Let firefighters focus on wildfires and not your backyard - if you are planning to do any burning, get your free fire permit.
FIRE PERMITS
The Fire Season ends October 31, until that time, a fire permit is required for any burning (except campfires) within the Forest Protection Area. If you are in the Whitecourt Forest Area, get the permit process started today by calling: 780-778-7272.
Tip: Check the weather forecast before you burn, do not burn if the wind speed is over 15 kilometres per hour. Learn more on about properly preparing a burn site.
LOCAL WILDFIRE UPDATE
There have been no new wildfires since August 3, 2016 in the Whitecourt Forest Area. Since April 1, 2016 there have been 36 wildfires in the Forest Area, that have burned just over 671 hectares. Twenty-nine of the wildfires were human-caused meaning that almost all of the wildfires were preventable.
For information on the wildfire situation across the province of Alberta, visit wildfire.alberta.ca.
BE PREPARED - SEVERE STORMS AND WINTER EMERGENCIES
You can greatly lessen the impact of a severe storm (hail, blizzards, ice storms etc.) by taking the time to prepare in advance:
- Find out about the risks and the type of storms in your region.
- Make a family emergency plan, so that everyone knows what to do, and where to go in case of an emergency.
- Get an emergency kit, so that you and your family can be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours during a severe storm.
Unless conditions change, your next email update will be on October 21, 2016.
For more frequent updates, check the Alberta Wildfire App for your mobile Android or Apple products. Subscribe to this update to have it emailed to you.
Shannon Stambaugh | Wildfire Information Officer
Whitecourt Forest Area
Mobile: 780.706.5336
email: Shannon.Stambaugh@gov.ab.ca
