Conditions have been drying up rather quickly since the snow finally started to melt.
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry last week upgraded the Rocky Forest Area’s wildfire advisory to moderate from low just barely the week before.
And on Thursday, May 3, Mountain View County declared a partial fire ban, which essentially means a temporary suspension on any previously issued fire permits until further notice. However, barbecues and backyard firepits are still allowed.
Recognizing the existential threat of a sudden raging wildfire spreading through the Sundre area, fire Chief Marty Butts has also wasted no time coordinating efforts for controlled burns that remove or at least reduce sources of dry fuel such as grass and dead brush that allow flames to spread quickly.
To that end, about 15 members of the local department worked last week in tandem with a dozen provincial wildland firefighters on a controlled burn along the south facing side of Snake Hill.
“In our eyes, it was a perfect controlled burn with cross-training objectives achieved. We work hand in hand with forestry when we go into the West Country, so it’s a good way to get on the same page,” said Butts.
Efforts are typically focused on high-risk areas such as behind the soccer and baseball diamonds, where there tends to be a lot of activity that could potentially result in a cigarette butt or hot vehicle exhaust inadvertently igniting a potentially catastrophic blaze that spreads quickly out of control with an abundance of dry material fuelling the fire, he said.
Naturally, wherever there is fire, smoke ensues. However, the fire department’s intention during a controlled burn is not to inconvenience nearby residents, but rather to keep the community as safe as possible, he said.
“We can burn just as easily as other places like Fort Mac and Slave Lake. With the right conditions, we could be facing a similar situation.”
So while there are some complaints about the air quality during a controlled burn, a relatively brief but supervised and contained fire sure beats dealing with unpredictable and seemingly impenetrable walls of smoke for nearly the entire summer, as many communities in B.C. experienced last year, he said.
We could not agree more. Even if a controlled burn does not outright eliminate the potential for a wildfire, the effort certainly reduces the potential extent of damage caused once the smoke settles.
Of course many wildfires are the result of human negligence, and everyone is encouraged to be careful when putting out campfires or cigarette butts. Property owners should also consider following fire smart guidelines. Failure to take preventive steps potentially jeopardizes the whole community by leaving Sundre susceptible to suffering far more damage should a sudden fire sweep through, he said.
“Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
Sounds like sensible advice to us. So let's not let our excitement for barbecue and campfire season lead us to cut any corners.
— Ducatel is the Round Up’s editor
