Wildfire Update - May 6, 2020
The wildfire danger rating in the Fort McMurray Forest Area has climbed to VERY HIGH south of Fort Chipewyan, and is MODERATE to the north of Lake Athabasca. The fire ban remains in effect. Cured, dry grass is the largest concern as fires that start will spread quickly under current conditions.
Since March 1, there have been 3 new wildfires in the Fort McMurray Forest Area. Two have been extinguished and one is under control.
There are currently 18 wildfires in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta. Twelve are under control and six have been turned over to the responsible parties.
For more information on the current wildfire situation across the province of Alberta, visit wildfirestatus.alberta.ca.
FIRE BAN IN EFFECT
There is a fire ban in place inside the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, as well as in Alberta provincial parks and protected areas, until further notice.
Fire permits are suspended or cancelled. Some allowances can be made for essential agricultural and industrial burning, but will need to be approved by a forest officer.
Prohibited
• wood campfires on public lands
• wood campfires on private land and provincial campgrounds
• backyard firepits
• barbeques with charcoal briquettes
Allowed
• propane / natural gas powered appliances
• open flame CSA approved oil devices
• wood fires in an enclosed facility or device, which have a chimney with a spark arrestor
• OHVs
** All devices must be CSA approved and used as per manufacturer standards. An enclosed facility or device is one that is fully contained with a chimney that has a spark arrestor. Users are still responsible for care and attendance of all devices and should reduce their use during fire restrictions and bans. Approved activities or devices will not prevent potential prosecution or litigation if the user or device starts a wildfire.
OHV Usage
There are no off-highway vehicle restrictions currently in place in the Fort McMurray Forest Protection area. An off-highway vehicle restriction in the Forest Protection Area will be reintroduced if there is an increase in the danger level. We will re-evaluate daily.
These steps are part of a number of actions the department is implementing to help mitigate wildfire risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking action in advance to reduce the number of human-caused wildfires will allow Alberta Wildfire to make the best possible use of resources when the availability of firefighters could be reduced because of the pandemic.
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry will be monitoring conditions, including the availability of firefighting crews and resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fire Ban will remain in effect until conditions improve.
** If you plan to go off-road keep in mind:
- Off-highway vehicles exhausts can get very hot, reaching temperatures of over 200 Celsius, causing debris caught near the exhaust to become superheated. This debris can potentially start a wildfire when it falls to the ground.
- It is crucial for Albertans to stop and check off-highway vehicles for debris and the ground for any debris that may have fallen.
- Before you ride, clean any debris that has built up near the exhaust and muffler, under the seat, in wheel wells and around the engine.
- Always carry a small fire extinguisher, a collapsible shovel and water. These tools can help extinguish a wildfire and safely dispose of hot debris.
Please visit AlbertaFireBans.ca for a map of the affected area.
For more information, please contact:
Lynn Daina, Wildfire Information Officer, Fort McMurray Forest Area
Phone: 1-780-799-9253 or 1-866-394-3473
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:
