Peace River Area Update

Peace River Forest Area Update - May 22, 2020

Posted on Fri, May 22, 2020

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WILDFIRE UPDATE

Due to the recent rainfall in the area, the wildfire danger is now LOW in the Peace River Forest Area.

So far this season, there have been 19 wildfires in the Peace River Forest Area, all but one of which have been extinguished.  

For more information on the wildfire situation across the province of Alberta, visit: wildfire.alberta.ca.

 

FIRE BAN IN EFFECT

As part of Alberta Wildfire's response plan to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, a fire ban was issued for the Forest Protection Area of Alberta effective April 15th at 2:00 pm. 

The fire ban in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta remains in effect. The province is trying to eliminate as many potential human-caused wildfires as possible at this time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic response and the possibility of reduced firefighter availability. Firefighters appreciate your cooperation with this measure and your efforts to prevent human-caused wildfires. 

Reducing human-caused wildfires helps keep our firefighting resources focused where they are most needed, especially when our firefighting resources may be challenged due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more details, please read below or visit www.albertafirebans.ca.

 

FIRE BAN

FIRE BAN MAP

FIRE BAN FACT SHEET

MINISTERIAL ORDER

Prohibited

• outdoor wood fires
• backyard firepits
• barbeques with charcoal briquettes.

Allowed

• propane / natural gas powered appliances
• open flame CSA approved oil devices
• indoor wood fires

Please note:  All devices must be CSA approved and used as per manufacturer standards. An indoor wood fire is a fire inside a structure (such as a building, tent or RV) and contained within a device with a chimney and 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.

Non-compliance

Anyone found to be non-compliant with the fire ban may receive a violation ticket of $600.

Fire Permits

All current fire permits are suspended.  Some allowances may be made for essential agricultural and industrial burning at the discretion of a Forest Officer.  Please note: The burning of yard debris or the use of burn barrels is not considered to be essential burning.

Please call 780-624-6190 for more information on fire permits in the Peace River Forest Area.

Other jurisdictions

Some of the municipalities adjacent to the Forest Protection Area have also put fire bans in place.  For more information or to see if there are restrictions where you live, work or recreate, visit www.albertafirebans.ca, visit your municipality's website or social media accounts or contact your local municipal office.

For information on fire bans within Provincial Parks, please visit: albertaparks.ca

OHV RESTRICTION LIFTED

Because of the precipitation in many areas of the province, the off-highway vehicle restriction in effect in the High Level Forest Area, the Peace River Forest Area, the northwestern part of Slave Lake and the rural areas surrounding Fort McMurray has been lifted. This restriction can be phased back in if needed to address wildfire risk area-by-area. We will continue to evaluate the situation daily. 

OHV Hot Spots

If you choose to drive an off-highway vehicle in Alberta’s forested areas please remember:

  • OHV 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 OHVs 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.
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COVID-19 AND WILDFIRE

New COVID-19 safety measures have been developed in cooperation with workplace health and safety officials and Alberta Health. Key areas such as training, warehousing, aviation, and detection are some of the many areas that have been reviewed and adjusted to ensure staff safety.

If you have any questions, please contact our office at 780-624-6190.

Thank you for your continued support and patience as we navigate through these difficult times.

For more information, visit:

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

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Or contact:

Crystal Burrows 

Wildfire Information Officer

(780) 618-6215

crystal.burrows@gov.ab.ca

Report Wildfires 310-FIRE (3743)

 

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