ATHABASCA — Parts of Athabasca County outside of the Forest Protection area, along with the Village of Boyle and Town of Athabasca are now under a complete fire ban, according to multiple April 22 releases.
The county has declared a Fire Control Order under which prohibits the ATVs and OHV’s on public land and suspends all existing fire permits, an upgrade from the previous restrictions issued on April 10.
The ban also prohibits issuing of new fire permits, lighting of open fires such as campfires, briquette barbecues, burning barrels, and all portable wood burning fire pits. Fireworks and explosive targets are also banned until further notice.
Under the new restrictions, fires in CSA-approved barbecues, camping stoves, portable fire pits and heaters powered by liquid fuel, such as propane or natural gas are permitted. Household fires are allowed, given the use of proper spark screens, as are electric pellet smokers with a firebox.
The Town of Athabasca and Village of Boyle’s bans mirror the county’s restrictions, with an added clause that suspends the use of all public park site fire pits within the town.
Athabasca County, the town and the village would like to remind residents and visitors that wildfire responses can tax local emergency services, creating greater risk in the region. Existing drought conditions allow fires to quickly burn into the ground, requiring significant resources to extinguish.
Failure to comply with the restrictions in place will result in enforcement action which can include fines, municipal orders, and/or the levying of fees associated with fire control and extinguishment.
Wildfire season got its start in February this year after the Alberta government declared its beginning on Feb. 20, 10 days earlier than usual. With dry weather and the threat of drought looming over many parts of the province, Athabasca County is no exception. Five volunteer crews worked to control a fire near Canoe Lake that started April 14, and surrounding counties of Lac St Anne, Woodlands, and Wood Buffalo are dealing with fires of their own.
Residents of rural areas in Lac St. Anne have been ordered to evacuate northwest to the town of Onoway, and residents of Saprae Creek Estates have been under evacuation alert since Sunday, April 21.
The nearby counties of Thorhild, Sturgeon, Westlock, Barrhead, the M.D of Bonnyville, along with the Forest Protection Area for central Alberta, are under fire restrictions, which do not completely ban the use of OHV’s and ATV’s on public land.
The counties of Smoky Lake and Lac La Biche, along with Athabasca County, are under fire bans, which prohibit the use of ATV’s and OHV’s on public land. County of St, Paul No. 19, by comparison, remains under the level two fire advisory issued March 25.
More information on fire restriction and ban status’s across the province, visit Alberta Fire Bans.
