THE 2020 FIRE SEASON HAS ENDED

The wildfire season in Alberta has ended but safe burning practices are always in season. From November 1 to March 1, fire permits are no longer required, however you are still responsible for any fires you light in the winter. Before conducting your winter burning, please review these safe burning practices. Also, remember to go back and check your winter burns to ensure they are extinguished. A fire left smouldering can burn underground all winter long and cause a wildfire in the spring. Please do your part to prevent wildfires year round.

WILDFIRE SEASON SUMMARY

There were 53 wildfires in the Peace River Forest Area during the 2020 fire season, all of which have now been extinguished.  In Alberta, there were 705 wildfires and 3,265 hectares burned.

Thank you for doing your part to prevent and report wildfires this and every fire season.  Your support and cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Wildfire Summary Infographic

Please call 310-FIRE to report wildfires.

SMOKE 

The lower fire hazard in winter means it is generally a safer time to consider burning. However you should still take safety precautions, such as monitoring the weather, to ensure smoke from your burn won't negatively impact surrounding areas.  

On particularly cold winter days, inversions and other weather factors can cause smoke from a winter burn to stay close to the ground and travel great distances. An inversion happens when cold air is trapped near the ground by a layer of warmer air above it. Inversions can cause dangerous driving conditions and impact nearby communities. 

Please refrain from burning when an inversion is in place or has been forecasted.  

• Monitor weather conditions: lower temperatures and lighter wind speeds can result in stronger inversions. The ideal conditions for burning are typically days with wind speeds over 5 km/hr.
• For information on ventilation conditions within the province, visit Environment Canada's Ventilation Index.
• For more information on local forecasted weather during the winter, please visit Environment Canada website.
• Additional provincial weather information related to wildfire conditions can be found on the Alberta Wildfire website.

Actively manage burn projects to reduce disposal time and smoke impacts. 

• Burning debris in stages will allow you to adapt to changing weather conditions and reduce smoke.

Always ensure proper safety precautions are taken when burning and appropriate signage is in place when burning within a mile of a roadway.   

• Always take the safety concerns that may arise from smoke into consideration.  
• Consult local municipalities and authorities on how to mitigate impacts when undertaking larger winter burning projects near communities or road ways.
• For safety tips for driving in smoky areas, visit the Alberta Transportation website.
• If you see smoke that is creating a safety concern on roadways, please report it to Alberta 511. 

FIRESMART

Help keep your home, neighborhood and community FireSmart by visiting www.firesmartcanada.ca to learn the many simple steps you can take to reduce your wildfire risk.  

Wildfire Community Preparedness Day 2021 applications are now open. For details visit our website.