WILDFIRE HAZARD
Warmer temperatures and the lack of rain are elevating the wildfire hazard to MODERATE for the Whitecourt Forest Area. The forecast is calling for the warm, dry trend to continue thorough the weekend and into early next week. Firefighters can use your help. Report and prevent wildfires - if you see smoke in the forest call 310-FIRE (3473).
Image: Colors of fall, Whitecourt AB.
HUNTING SEASON IS HERE - ARE YOU READY?
When having a cooking or warming fire this fall, remember to soak it, stir it, soak it again. Never leave a fire unattended. You will know it's out when the ashes are cool to the touch.
Every fire counts - extinguish it properly to prevent a wildfire. Learn more, here.
Image: To fully extinguish a cooking or warming fire, simply soak the ashes, stir them, and keep soaking the ashes until they are cool to the touch.
More information on hunting in Alberta can be found on the Alberta Environment and Parks web page or click here for a link to current articles.
PREVENTING A WILDFIRE IS EASY WHEN USING AN OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE (OHV)
Off-highway vehicles can start wildfires but preventing one is easy. Stop frequently during your ride, check your vehicle for the build up of grass, branches or other debris. Remove them and continue to enjoy your ride - learn more, here.
Image: Taking a break on the edge of a stream - it takes no time to clean the debris from your machine.
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 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.
Visit beta.albertafirebans.ca to learn about fire restrictions or bans across the province.
Note: 1 hectare is 100 metres by 100 metres or approximately the size of 2 football fields.
FIRESMART IN THE FALL
If you are living in a forested area, be aware of the wildfire risk and ways you can take action to make your home and community become "FireSmart." Here are some quick and easy ideas to help you get started:
- Regularly remove debris from your eaves. Sparks and embers can easily ignite these materials.
- Store firewood a minimum of 10 metres from any structures.
- Close in any exposed eaves, vents and soffits on your home.
- Mow and water grass within 10 metres of buildings.
Learn more at firesmartcanada.ca
Unless conditions change, your next email update will be on September 30, 2016.
For more frequent updates, check the Alberta Wildfire App for your mobile Android or Apple products. You can also subscribe to the update to have it emailed to you.
Shannon Stambaugh
Wildfire Information Officer
Mobile: 780.706.5336
email: Shannon.Stambaugh@gov.ab.ca
