Westlock County to require liability insurance for large burn permits

Westlock County is proposing a bylaw amendment that would require applicants to carry $2 million in public liability insurance for large fire permits, following an investigation into wildfires near the Pembina River that led to a June evacuation.

A new amendment to a bylaw was presented at the July 8 County Council meeting, where applicants will be required to provide proof of a $2 million public liability insurance. 

This new bylaw comes from the recent investigation into the Pembina River wildfires that triggered an emergency evacuation in early June. County Fire Chief John Biro confirmed that they were caused by holdover fires from permit approvals over the winter. A holdover is a fire that was burned earlier in the year but not extinguished properly and fully. 

“So those fires are typically within peat region areas where it gets into the ground system and lies dormant until spring comes around and warmer weather and the ground dries it up. And they tend to pop and come to life and then spread quickly during the conditions,” Biro says, further indicating that the high temperatures, low humidity and wind were all contributing factors. 

The results of the investigation have led the administration to make the motion of requiring all applicants to provide proof of $2 million public liability insurance under section 7.0 Fire Permits of the Fire Bylaw. This will only apply to any brush piles, fireworks and large-scale fires and not small campfires as Coun. Francis Cloutier clarified during the meeting. 

Reeve Christine Wiese suggested making a change that would require the municipality to be an additional insurer, citing that Parkland County, Sturgeon County and Lac Ste Anne County built it into theirs. 

Chief Administrative Officer Tony Kulbisky said that the administration will be communicating this change to residents.

“I think most people have insurance but it forces people to ask, to double check and make sure what you have before you light anything on fire because I think that's what the message we're trying to get out here is because the costs are going up and it's incredible how much money it costs the province to put out fires that burned earlier this year.," Kulbisky said. 

The amendment was granted the first two readings in the regular council meeting, but a third reading was not granted. Coun. Fox-Robinson was opposed to considering a third reading that needed to be unanimous.

Council will give a third reading to the bylaw at their Aug. 12 meeting, which will determine whether it will come into effect.