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A high wildfire danger rating was issued for the southern part of the Southern Rockies last Wednesday, July 6th, following weeks of warm, windy and dry conditions.
The area with the highest hazard rating in the region is currently the Castle/Carbondale area, according to Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Wildfire Information Officer Karen Ritchie.
“Until we get some rain or cooler weather, people will need to be very careful,” said Ritchie.
Currently there are no fires or bans in the Southern Rockies, but as of last Thursday, 29 fires were burning throughout the province.
Of those fires, 11 were being held, 17 were under control, and one had been turned over.
Since the beginning of April, Alberta has experienced 739 wildfires, burning more than 925,000 hectares of land.
Of the 58 new fires crews responded to last week, 56 were caused by abandoned campfires. |
“Recreational fires must be attended at all times and extinguished before you leave,” said Ritchie.
In British Columbia, as of July 1st, all fires are limited to under 0.5 metres wide by 0.5 metres high, and you must have a shovel or at least eight litres of water nearby at all times in order to extinguish the fire.
Ritchie said she was personally unaware if Alberta plans to adopt similar regulations, but that SRD does encourage people to have a means of extinguishment on hand, and to ensure that it is extinguished by testing to see if the ashes are cool.
“Soak it, stir it, and soak it again,” she said, noting that moisture in the air on and the ground does not ensure a fire will go out on its own.
Off-highway vehicle users are also encouraged to continue to use extreme caution, as collected debris can hold heat and start fires when it falls off the vehicle.
To report a wildfire in Alberta, call 310-3473 (FIRE).
For more information, visit the SRD wildfire site at www.srd.alberta.ca/wildfire.
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