Red Deer County reinstated its fire ban last week, joining a growing number of communities across Alberta that are responding to one of the driest and most fire hazardous springs in recent memory.
Last week, as a wildfire tore through more than 10,000 hectares in the Fort McMurray area, destroying more than 1,600 structures and forcing the evacuation of the municipality's 80,000 citizens, and with conditions elsewhere across the province becoming increasingly dry with no relief in sight from Mother Nature, the province also announced a fire restriction for Alberta's forest protection region, a large area that cuts along the far western boundaries of Red Deer and Mountain View counties.
“The hazard is extreme across much of the province; very high to extreme,” said Laura Stewart, wildfire information officer for Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “All burning is prohibited. The only thing that is permitted is a safe wood campfire in a designated campground. That is the only exception; otherwise there is no burning whatsoever permitted.”
According to the provincial Alberta Wildfire Report website, more than 330 wildfires have ignited in the province this year, with the total burnt area now at almost 5,300 hectares. The five-year average for the number of wildfires in the province is 157, with an average of about 276 hectares burnt.
On the same day (May 3) as the provincial announcement, and again on May 4, Red Deer County decided to act on the growing threat in Central Alberta. The latter announcement stated all outdoor fires in the rural municipality were prohibited and ones currently burning must be extinguished unless otherwise permitted. In its news release, the county adding that hazard conditions ranged from “very high to extreme.
“We are in extreme dryness. No open fires are allowed. The ignition of all outdoor fires within the boundaries of Red Deer County are prohibited,” said Dave Laurin, fire chief for Red Deer County. The ban does not apply to fires contained within industrial facilities for operational purposes or within cooking and heating appliances and are fuelled by fluids, gases or charcoal briquettes.
The ban reinstates an earlier measure that was taken last month, as conditions in the county were unusually dry from a warm winter that experienced less than normal amounts of precipitation.
The first ban was lifted two weeks ago following a weekend of moderate rain and snow in the region.
“We need a lot more moisture. The moisture that did come was good for a couple of days, but we had two days of heavy winds and it took away any moisture at that time,” said Laurin, adding his department has been called to a “fair amount” of different grass fires this spring.
“All of them had potential, but with the quick response from the crews in getting ahead of the fire and knocked down, we were able to alleviate that.”
He said his department has contacted Red Deer County residents that have obtained fire permits and told them about the new ban. He said rural residents have so far showed a willingness to cooperate.
“We haven't had anybody going against the ban. Today (May 3) we had a couple of fires that we had to request people to put out. They had gotten a permit prior to the ban coming into place,” said Laurin.
In the meantime, the Environment Canada weather forecast is calling for continued warm and dry weather for the region, a scenario that concerns Laurin.
“Yes, anything still has the potential to spark a grass or a bush fire,” he said.
As of last week, Mountain View County still has a partial fire ban, which was announced on April 18. The ban calls for no permits being issued for controlled fires. For more information and details on the partial ban go to the Mountain View County website at http://www.mountainviewcounty.com/fire
Any Red Deer County resident seeking more information and updates on its fire ban can visit the municipality's website at www.rdcounty.ca or go to its Twitter and Facebook pages.
For further information on fire advisories, restrictions and bans across the province visit www.albertafirebans.ca
"We are in extreme dryness. No open fires are allowed. The ignition of all outdoor fires within the boundaries of Red Deer County are prohibited." Dave LaurinRed Deer County fire chief
