Fire bans across the entire province have been lifted, including in both the Town and County of Barrhead.
Fire chief Gary Hove said the current weather conditions led to the decision to lift the total fire bans on May 26.
“The rain that we had and the greening up of the farmland eased the conditions,” Hove said.
The Barrhead Fire Departments responded to several small fires last week, Hove said, but none of them posed a major issue for firefighters. There was one fire that resulted from motorists throwing fireworks outside their vehicle as they were driving along. The community reported it very quickly, and it wasn’t a big fire, so it took little effort to extinguish, he said.
For the fires that did occur, firefighters were on scene for maybe half an hour, Hove said.
There is still potential for fires to burn in the dry grass areas, he added. Residents need to look at the area in which they intend to burn and ensure there aren’t a lot of dry fields. They need to know that if the wind is blowing, then they shouldn’t be burning in those areas. Fire permits are needed for any fire other than a cooking or warming fire.
The Government of Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation Department also reminds campers and other outdoor enthusiasts to remain very careful, even in areas not affected by fire bans. Carelessly discarded cigarettes and hot vehicle exhaust pipes are just two of the many ways a wildfire can be inadvertently ignited. Co-operation is appreciated, by the men and women who fight wildfires and by the people and animals that make forested and other rural areas their home.
As of May 27, there were two new wildfires reported in the province, for a total of 36 wildfires, according to Sustainable Resources Development. Four of those wildfires were deemed out of control, two that were being held and 29 under control. One had been turned over. Since the start of April, Alberta has recorded approximately 523wildfires, which have burned more than 360,000 hectares.
