WILDFIRE HAZARD UPDATE
Warmer temperatures, lower humidity and winds over 20 kph are coming tomorrow with the passage of a cold front. This will raise the wildfire hazard to very high for the Whitecourt Forest Area.
If you are out camping or recreating this weekend, take the time to know about the new regulations and fines associated with campfires, read more below.
WILDFIRE SITUATION UPDATE
There are no active wildfires in the Whitecourt Forest Area.
Since the start of the 2017 wildfire season, there have been four wildfires that have burned 0.04 hectares in the Whitecourt Forest Area.
For information on the wildfire situation across the province of Alberta, visit wildfire.alberta.ca.
NEW FINES ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF CAMPFIRES
You do not require a fire permit for a cooking or warming fire in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta. As of March 1, 2017 leaving a campfire unattended will result in a fine of $287 under the Forest Prairie and Protection Act.
If an individual does not properly extinguish a fire and it starts a wildfire they can be charged up to $100,000 or face imprisonment for up to two years. Read more here.
Tips on having a safe campfire:
- Selecting a site - in campgrounds or recreational areas, use the designated stoves, rings or fire pits. In the backcountry or where a designated receptacle isn't available, use sites that are clear of dry grass, bushes, leaves, over hanging branches, tree trunks and peat moss. Build campfire on level ground that is sheltered from the wind and near a source of water.
- Never leave a campfire unattended - a campfire can escape and start a wildfire if no one is watching it. Watch for sparks and escaped embers - quickly extinguish them.
- Extinguishing a campfire - soak it, stir it, soak it again - let the fire burn down, spread the embers within the pit then add water or loose dirt. Stir it around to expose any material that is still burning and then add more water or dirt. Don’t bury your fire because it can smolder underground and reignite into a wildfire. You’ll know your fire is out, when you don’t feel any heat coming from the ashes.
OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES CAN START WILDFIRES
Exhaust systems can heat up to temperatures in excess of 204o Celsius - hot enough to fry an egg, melt your pants or start a wildfire. At these temperatures, grass, moss, branches or other debris that have built up on your machine can heat up, smoulder and ignite- fall off and start a wildfire.
Prevent a wildfire:
- Remove debris - keeping your machine debris free by checking it before, during and after a ride.
- Strategic parking - park your OHV on bare mineral soil if possible, do not park it in areas of dead, dry grass.
- Exit and check - when possible, drive out on the path you drove in on. This will help you check for fires that may have started.
Image: Stopping during a ride to clean off an OHV - using a bucket keeps our streams clean.
FIRE PERMITS
As of March 1, a free permit is required for all burning (except for campfires) within the Forest Protection Area of Alberta. New penalties now exist for failure to produce a fire permit when requested by a forest officer, read more here.
Get started by calling:
- Whitecourt patrolman at 780-778-1590 or
- Whitecourt Fire Centre at 780-778-7272
Learn more about fire permits.
NEW WILDFIRE PROTECTION REGULATIONS IN EFFECT MARCH 31, 2017
Enhancements to the Forest and Prairie Protection Act (FPPA) regulations have been made - learn more about the changes and the associated fines here.
If you see smoke in the forest call 310-FIRE(3473).
Unless conditions change, your next wildfire update will be on May 22, 2017.
