While most of the province remained under a fire ban last week, the threat in Olds was reduced by rainfall spurring officials to downgrade the town's ban last Thursday to allow fires in approved pits.
As of last Thursday, there were 87 wildfires in Alberta, 23 of which were out of control including the one by Slave Lakewhich reportedly burned at least 30 per cent of the town.
Collectively these active wildfires have burned approximately 191,000 hectares of land. In the Lesser Slave Lake area alone, 17 wildfires were burning out of control.
Due to windy conditions and high wildfire risks, a provincewide fire ban was instituted last Tuesday, excluding urban centres. Olds and many other urban municipalities followed suit the same day, enacting the same fire ban.
Olds Fire chief Lorne Thompson said the total ban was modified Thursday due to rain overnight Wednesday and fires were then allowed within approved fire pits.
An approved firepit must be located at least three metres (nine feet) from all buildings, property lines and combustible materials; have a surface or cooking area of not more than 3,800 square centimetres (570 square inches); have enclosed sides no greater than 46 centimetres above ground level (18 inches), constructed of concrete blocks, bricks, heavy gauge metal or other suitable non-flammable material approved by the town; have a spark arrestor mesh screen of 1.30 centimetres or equivalent; use clean, dry wood or charcoal; not used to burn garbage; and doesn't emit sparks onto a neighbouring property or otherwise create a hazard to the neighbouring property.
Thompson stressed the partial lifting of the complete ban only applies within town limits. Mountain View County is still under a complete fire ban.
The ban still includes open fires, charcoal briquette barbecues, campfires and fires used for cooking not contained within approved pits. Burning barrels and discharging fireworks are not permitted.
The ban doesn't apply to cooking or heating appliances fuelled by natural gas or propane.
Factors that go into considering a fire ban include the current weather and what the humidity is currently. Thompson said bans often go on this time of year after all the snow has melted but there hasn't been any rain yet to green vegetation. Typically, he said early spring after the snow has melted is a bad time of year for grass and other fires because conditions are still relatively dry.
Thompson said the situation will continue to be monitored and if prolonged hot, dry conditions return and persist for a length of time, the complete ban could be reinstated.
