The current wildfire danger in the Calgary Forest Area (CFA) remains LOW. With the anticipated warmer weather in the coming days and weeks, there will be more areas with exposed dead grass and other vegetation. These areas present a real danger in the early spring as they can ignite easily and burn very quickly. In areas where snow remains on the ground, the wildfire danger should remain low in the short term. It is too early to predict the severity of the 2023 season, as the greatest impact will be from late season snowfall and early spring rainfall amounts.
RIBBON CREEK PRESCRIBED FIRE
Weather dependent, crews may begin establishing guard for the Ribbon Creek Prescribed Fire as soon as April 11. The Ribbon Creek Prescribed Fire is located southeast of Canmore in Kananaskis Country, directly west of Kananaskis Village and south of Nakiska Ski Area. Ideal conditions for guard burning are when the trees in the guard area are snow-free, but ample snow remains on the ground. Guard burning will be completed before May 1 and all operations will cease on weekends. Ignition of the main unit will not occur until late summer into fall, and only if appropriate conditions are achieved. There will be short term trail closures in the immediate vicinity of the guard area while operations are underway. Smoke may be visible but is anticipated to be of short duration.
2023 WILDFIRE SEASON PREPARATIONS
Preparations for the 2023 wildfire season continue in the CFA. Our initial wave of seasonal wildland firefighters are in place ready to respond to any new wildfire starts as well as assist with prescribed fire operations and other local projects. Additional staff will be onboarding in the coming weeks. Equipment and specialized contracts are in place and facilities are beginning to open to support wildfire season operations.
FIRE PERMITS REQUIRED
You can request your fire permit online or by phone. Fire permits are required for any burning, except campfires, in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta. Fire permits help us to track what is burning on the landscape. If you're burning without a fire permit or outside fire permit conditions, your fire is considered a wildfire. By getting a permit before burning, you help keep our firefighters free to fight real wildfires instead of responding to the smoke in your backyard.
To request a fire permit online, visit the portal. You will need a MyAlberta Digital ID to access the portal. Please note that you can still request your permit from the Calgary Forest Area main office by calling 403-297-8800.
ACTIVE WILDFIRE IN THE CFA
The Dormer Wildfire, ANP-007 from the 2022 wildfire season remains BEING HELD. This wildfire has been monitored over the winter months and will be assessed this spring. This wildfire is located in the Panther and is estimated at 669 hectares. Alberta Wildfire is working in conjunction with Parks Canada to manage this wildfire.
WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION THIS WILDFIRE SEASON
Download the Alberta Wildfire app today and get access to accurate, real-time information on wildfires in your area and across the Forest Protection Area.
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Bookmark albertafirebans.ca or download the Alberta Fire Bans app to access information on fire advisories, fire restrictions and fire bans in effect across the province.
MORE INFORMATION:
Anastasia Drummond
403-818-0938
anastasia.drummond@gov.ab.ca
RELATED INFORMATION
Websites:
- Alberta Wildfire
- Alberta Fire Bans
- FireSmart in Alberta
- Alberta Emergency Alerts
- Air Quality Health Index
- Wildfire Smoke and Your Health
- 511 Road Reports
- Emergency Preparation
Social Media:
