The Town of Westlock has followed Westlock County’s lead and issued a complete fire ban within municipal limits.
The town declared the ban at 10:30 a.m. on May 14, just an hour after the county issued its fire ban due to windy, hot and dry conditions in the region and it remained in place throughout the long weekend.
“We’re mindful of not just the local conditions in town, but also in the county,” said town chief administrative officer Dwight Dibben said May 18.
“The fire chiefs from the town and the county have been consulting, looking at the forecast and looking at the moisture levels and at this point in time their feeling is that weather conditions are such that it’s the most prudent course of action to maintain the ban at present.”
County fire services were kept busy over the weekend of May 12-13 fighting a 250-hectare wildfire near Echo Lake, eight kilometres east of Vimy. The fire was contained May 14 and local fire crews left the scene, leaving hot spots and any flare-ups with 45 provincial firefighters.
As of May 18, the fire is out and most of the hotspots have been extinguished, said county CAO Leo Ludwig, adding that provincial firefighters left the scene May 16 and the road is once again open to traffic.
However, the county requests that anyone who is not involved in firefighting activities to stay away from the Echo Lake area. Officials also request that people refrain from entering back-country trails in the area.
Similar to the county’s fire ban, the town is reminding residents its ban prohibits the issuance of fire permits and forbids any open fires, camp fires, fires used for cooking, briquette barbecues, burning barrels, chimineas, portable fire pits, including those in designated campgrounds, and the discharge of all fireworks.
Barbecues and camping stoves powered by liquid fuel are exempt from the fire ban.
Both municipalities remind residents they may be held financially responsible for any fires they may start and they could be charged under the Forest and Prairie Protection Act.
Neighbouring municipalities have also issued fire bans in Barrhead County and Thorhild County, and fire restrictions are in place for Athabasca County and Sturgeon County as of May 18. For more on bans throughout the province visit: https://albertafirebans.ca/
