Whitecourt Area Update

Wildfire Hazard

Strong gusting winds keep the wildfire hazard at MODERATE in the Whitecourt Wildfire Management Area (WWMA).  Toady, winds are expected to be west in direction at 20 kilometres per hour,  gusting to 40 kilometres per hour. Sustained winds of 30 kilometres per hour are expected tomorrow, gusting to 50 kiolometres per hour.

At this time of year, leaves and branches on the forest floor are flammable. With the expected strong wind gusts, a wildfire can ignite easily and spread quickly in a forest or open-grassy area.

Continue to use caution when working or recreating in the forest. Call 310-FIRE (3743) to report a wildfire.

Image: Brush piles burning near Whitecourt Alberta.

Fire Permits
BEFORE YOU BURN IT, GET YOUR PERMIT

Until October 31, if you want to do any burning, excluding campfires within the Forest Protection Area (FPA) you require a free Fire Permit:

• Fire Permits are free. To get the process started call 780-778-7272.
• Please call a week in advance of when you would like to burn in order to give our staff time to make arrangements to come out to your site and issue your permit.
• Fore efficiency, please have your site ready according to the burning site guidelines. before staff arrive. For your safety, a site visit is required in most cases.
• All permits must be completely extinguished before they expire, if you need more information make sure to ask.

Local Wildfire Summary
October 13, 2015 at 11:00am

In the last 24 hours, there was one new wildfire in the Whitecourt WMA. It was extinguished at 0.01 hecatres in size by fast working firefighters.

Since April 1, 2015 there have been 89 wildfires that have burned 70.60 hectares. To date, 42 wildfires in the Whitecourt WMA were caused by humans working or recreating in the forest. This means almost half of them were preventable, please do your part and help prevent wildfires.

Provincial Wildfire Summary
October 13, 2015 at 11:00 am

Alberta currently has 32 wildfires. Thirty are under control and two have been turned over to the responsible party. Since April 1, 2015, Alberta has recorded 1,746 wildfires that have burned a total of 491,780.19 hectares.

For more information, please visit the wildfire status map on our website at www.wildfire.alberta.ca; or you can download the Alberta Wildfire App for android or apple products. 

Be Wildfire-Smart

Off-highway vehicles can 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.

Are you going hunting? When having a fire to cook lunch or to warm-up, make sure your fire is completely extinguished. It doesn't matter how small the fire is, if it is not out, it can grow. Soak it, stir it, soak it again; it should be cool to the touch. Learn more here.

3 Simple Ways to Take Action Against Forest Fires This Fall! 

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.

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.

Unless conditions change, you can expect your next wildfire update October 16, 2015.