Wildfire Update - April 15, 2020
The wildfire danger rating for the Whitecourt Forest Area is LOW. There are currently no wildfires currently burning in the area.
Since March 1, there have been no wildfires in the Whitecourt Forest Area.
Since March 1 in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, there have been 5 wildfires burning a total of 0.14 hectares.
For more information on the current wildfire situation across the province of Alberta, visit wildfirestatus.alberta.ca.
FIRE BAN AND OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE RESTRICTION IN EFFECT
There is a Fire Ban and Off-Highway Vehicle Restriction within the Forest Protection Area of Alberta.
All 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
• Safe wood campfires on public lands.
• Safe wood campfires on private land and provincial campgrounds.
• Backyard firepits, and
• Barbeques with charcoal briquettes.
• OHVs for recreational use on public lands.
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 for commercial/industrial use, agricultural use, and traditional use by Indigenous peoples, as well as use on private lands.
** 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.
This is a decision that has been made as part of our COVID-19 pandemic response, not necessarily because of a high wildfire hazard. 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 and Off-Highway Vehicle Restriction will remain in effect until conditions improve.
Please visit AlbertaFireBans.ca for a map of the affected area.
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