Whitecourt Area Update

High Wildfire Hazard; Lighting Season is Here!

Posted on Thu, Jun 25, 2015

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What is Happening in Your Area?

The wildfire hazard for the  Whitecourt Wildfire Management Area (WWMA) is HIGH. We are reaching a high of 26 degrees Celsius today, wind will be west at 8 kilometres per hour. There is a risk of a thunderstorm and associated lightning. This is lighting season, and lighting starts wildfires! Overnight, northern parts of the province had numerous wildfires all started by passing storms (see our current app image below).
How can you help? Never leave your campfire unattended. Be prepared to properly put out your campfire, carry a shovel and water carrying device with you (like a bucket).
Limiting the number of human-caused wildfires allows us to make sure our firefighters are available to fight these lighting-caused wildfires.
 fire_status_june25Image: Current wildfires on our wildfire status map, many Wildfire Management Areas have lighting-caused wildfires burning at this time.
 

Local Wildfires (June 25)

Currently, there are no wildfires in the Whitecourt WMA. Since April 1, 2015, there have been 41 wildfires which have burned 31.89 hectares.

Provincial Wildfires

In the last 24 hours there have been 73 new wildfires. Currently, 14 wildfires are out of control, 31 are being held and one has been turned over to the responsible party. For more information click here or download the Alberta Wildfire App for android or apple.

Since April 1, 2015, Alberta has recorded 1011 wildfires that have burned a total of 92,044.19 hectares. 

Fire Permits

BEFORE YOU BURN IT, GET YOUR PERMIT

If you want to do any burning within the Forest Protection Area (FPA); you need to get a fire permit for any burning, excluding campfires.

  • 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.

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The Whitecourt Wildfire Management Area does not have a fire ban, restriction or advisory in place. This means in most parts of the Whitecourt WMA, safe campfires and burning are allowed at this time.

Other management areas within the Forest Protection Area (FPA) and some municipalities (including towns, summer villages, counties or provincial parks) have maintained their fire advisory, restriction or ban. Please visit www.albertafirebans.ca to ensure that there is not a fire ban or restriction in your area before burning.

How Can You Help? 

If you are using an Off-highway Vehicle during your day, periodically stop and check your vehicle for the build up of grass, branches or debris. This material can catch fire and drop from your vehicle as you drive; acting like a drip-torch it can start a wildfire. Learn more here.

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Visit us on Facebook, Twitter or download our Alberta Wildfire App for android and apple products

Unless conditions change, you can expect your next wildfire update June 26th.

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

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