Whitecourt Area Update

Gusting Wind; Delay Burning Until Conditions Improve

Posted on Sat, Sep 19, 2015

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Wildfire Hazard

Wind gusting to 55 kilometres per hour today increase the wildfire hazard to HIGH in the Whitecourt Wildfire Management Area (WWMA). If a wildfire does start, it will spread quickly; please refrain from all burning until winds become lighter.

 

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Weather

The wind will west at 30 km/hr today, gusting to 55km/hr in the afternoon. Winds are expected to be lighter in the next 24hours. Temperatures will remain above 15 degrees Celsius and periodic showers are expected.

 

Local Wildfire Summary
September 19, 2015 at 11:00 am

In the last 24 hours, there have been no new wildfires in the Whitecourt WMA

Since April 1, 2015 there have been 87 wildfires that have burned 70.29 hectares. To date, 34 wildfires in the Whitecourt WMA were caused by human activity, meaning almost half of them were preventable! Please do your part and help prevent wildfires.

 

Be Wildfire-Smart

Off-highway vehicles start wildfires. Take the time to remove the buildup of grass, branches or other debris from your machine. This material can ignite, fall from your machine and start a wildfire. Areas of most concern include: exhaust and muffler systems, wheel wells, under the seat and in the engine and manifold systems. Learn more here.

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3 Simple Ways to Take Action Against Forest Fires!

Protecting your home from wildfire starts with simple actions. Whether you are doing regular yard maintenance or making large scale changes during renovations or landscaping, you can make choices that will help protect your home from wildfire.

Take action now...

While cleaning up your yard this fall, consider these simple FireSmart measures that cost very little and can help reduce the vulnerability of your home to wildfire:

  • Store firewood a minimum of 10 meters away from any structure (avoid down slope location).
  • Remove combustible trees, long grass, shrubs, logs, branches, twigs and needles within 10 meters of your home.
  • Clean eavestroughs of leaf and branch debris.
Can you do more? Visit FireSmartCanada.ca to find other ideas.

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Unless conditions change, you can expect your next wildfire update September 22, 2015.


Shannon Stambaugh | Wildfire Information Officer
Whitecourt Wildfire Management Area
office: 780.778.7273 | mobile: 780.706.5336

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