Happy New Year everyone. Another fire season is not far away.
Our team of wildfire specialists have been carefully monitoring the snowfall this winter and calculating dryness conditions. Currently we are showing substantially less ground moisture than usual. This means there is the potential for a dry spring - but this is Alberta, and things can change! What it means right now is that the ground is dry and fires that start now have the opportunity to burn down into the ground, maybe causing a large ground fire by spring if left unchecked.
If you're doing any winter burning, please be mindful of the conditions. Use a steel rod to prod your ash pits. If the rod comes out warm to the touch, then your fire is still burning.
The same science applies to campfires at this time of year. Make sure your campfire is out. Fires left burning can smoulder and dig in to the ground, causing a big problem later on.
Thanks for doing your part to prevent wildfires.
Stay warm!
For more information, contact:
Leslie Lozinski
Area Information Co-Ordinator
780-623-9758