Help keep Alberta's forest safe and ensure you fully extinguish your campfire. Soak the ashes, stir them and soak them again until they're cool to the touch. Never leave your campfire unattended.
Do not burn in windy conditions and always adhere to the conditions of your permit. Dry grass can catch easily and burn very quickly. Any spark, friction or hot exhaust can easily start a wildfire.
If you see smoke or flame and suspect it's a wildfire, call 310-FIRE.
Our AB Wildfire firefighters took some time earlier this week to show the Youth Group in Hinton how to set up water pump and hoses.
EDSON FOREST AREA FIRE DANGER RATING
The wildfire danger in the Edson Forest Area remains LOW thanks to significant precipitation and lower temperatures.
FARM AND ACREAGE PRACTICES FOR WILDFIRE PREVENTION
FIELDS AND PASTURELAND
Give yourself, your neighbours, your livestock and firefighters a chance against wildfire by reducing the accumulation of dry grass and stubble. This will help to prevent a fire from escaping your property or from coming in to your yard.
Cut the grass! It sounds simple, but well-maintained short grass can be a good fire deterrent. When a swift-moving grass fire hits a mowed patch of grass, it slows the spread of the fire and sometimes the fire will burn itself out.
Grain fields located near or next to building sites should be worked up. At the very least, work up a strip next to the building site to act as a fire guard. Dry stubble in the fields can carry a fire into the yard and with new farming practices of zero or minimal till, the accumulation of fine, dry fuel is increased. Make one or two passes around the yard before putting your tillage equipment away for the winter and you’ll go a long way in reducing the risk from wildfire.
If you have hay fields next to the yard, cut them as late in the season as possible to minimize re-growth, or mow a strip next to the building site to act as a fire guard. Allowing livestock to graze in the fields next to the yard in the fall will also help to reduce the amount of vegetation and potential fire hazard.
Dry pastureland presents the same challenges to wildfire as hayfields and grain fields. Tilling around the outside perimeter of pastureland will create a fire break that could save your field from burning, or prevent a fire from spreading to your other fields.
To learn more on how you can protect your farm and acreage, visit our magazine by clicking here.
KIDS CAN CATCH
SATURDAY JULY 2, 2022 | KELLEY'S BATHTUB
FIRE PERMITS
Wildfire season in Alberta is from March 1 until October 31. During wildfire season, you are required to have a fire permit if you plan on burning in the Forest Protection Area, with the exception of a campfire. To request your free fire permit, contact the local forest area: (780) 723-8527 or you can request your permit using the new, convenient online fire permit portal.
We ask that you plan ahead, there may be delays for a forest officer to visit your site. For more information regarding fire permits, you can view our video by clicking here.
EDSON FOREST AREA WILDFIRE UPDATE
Since January 1, 2022, there have been 57 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 39 ha.
PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE UPDATE
Since January 1, 2022 in the Forest Protection Area, there have been 448 wildfires burning a total of 17,520 ha.
To view the wildfires on a map, check out the new wildfire dashboard. It provides up-to-date wildfire information at the click of a button. This interactive tool displays important statistics on the number of active wildfires in the province, sizes, locations, suspected causes and more.
WILDFIRE PREVENTION TIPS
Albertans are always asked to use caution when working or recreating in the outdoors:
- Before you burn it, get your fire permit. Fire permits in Alberta.
- Clear debris from hot spots on your off-highway vehicle.
- Ensure your campfire is out - soak it, stir it, soak it again.
- Before you head out this weekend, check out the albertafirebans.ca website or download the app to stay informed.
ALBERTA WILDFIRE INFORMATION
- Subscribe to the Edson Forest Area wildfire update to receive an email when new information is posted.
- Download the Alberta Wildfire App for Apple and Android device.
- Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
For more information, please contact:
