Industry News
Alberta issues full fire ban
May 25, 2015 – The Government of Alberta has issued a province-wide full fire ban in the wake of hot, dry weather that continues to significantly impact the province.
May 25, 2015 By Andrew Macklin
The full fire ban prohibits all open fires, including campfires in campgrounds or backcountry and random camping areas. This includes charcoal briquettes. Portable propane fire pits and gas or propane stoves and barbeques designed for cooking or heating are allowed. All fire permits are suspended or cancelled and no new fire permits will be issued.
The fire ban applies to the province’s Forest Protection Area (FPA). Other jurisdictions outside the FPA, including municipalities and provincial parks, may issue their own fire restrictions or bans. Please check albertafirebans.ca daily for detailed information about restrictions and locations.
The ban comes as continuing hot, dry weather has elevated the wildfire hazard to high, very high or extreme over most of Alberta. As of 10 a.m. Monday, 29 wildfires were burning in the province, including a 200-hectare wildfire that forced evacuation of approximately 2,000 residents of Wabasca on Sunday night.
Hot, dry weather is forecasted to continue for at least another week, threatening to further elevate wildfire hazard.
To date this year since April 1, Alberta has experienced 629 wildfires that have burned 13,098 hectares.
Alberta has deployed more than 1,300 wildland firefighters and approximately 100 aircraft to battle the wildfires already underway, and the provinces of Ontario and Quebec have sent additional resources to Alberta to assist.
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