Mountainview County has lifted the fire restriction issued on May 2nd, ahead of the long weekend.
The restriction was implemented county-wide as a result of hot, dry conditions in the region; however, thanks in large part to the recent rainfall, the county made the decision to lift the restriction altogether.
According to the county, significant rainfall and lower temperatures have reduced the fire risk for the Mountainview region; however, residents are still encouraged to use caution, especially with any long weekend plans.
If you have plans to skip town and head to the mountains during May long, Rocky Mountain House Forest Area Information Coordinator Allanah McLean says while the fire danger remains “low” for the region, visitors are advised that even small lapses in judgement can have dire consequences during wildfire season.
“We see a high number of abandoned campfires after May long weekend,” she says. “It’s kind of the, the intro to camping for a lot of people, so we always want to remind people to make sure that they’re fully extinguishing their campfires – soak it, stir it, soak it again, make sure it’s completely out before you leave the area.”
McLean adds that visitors can actually help out fire services this weekend too. She says keeping your eyes peeled for signs of smoke and fire and reporting them can make a real difference in response times.
“We always have crews strategically placed throughout all 10 of our forest areas ready to receive, that being said, folks reporting wildfires by calling 310-FIRE is a huge help,” she says. “We do action every call that we get, so it’s also really important that if you are burning over the long weekend, if you’re doing some yard work, that you get a permit for that burning.”
Special emphasis is being placed on human-caused wildfires this year, with more than half of the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area’s 36 wildfires this year being credited to human activity. McLean adds that “human-caused” does not necessarily mean items like cigarette butts either, so being mindful of when and where you’re burning is crucial in wildfire prevention.
“It’s really important to go back to those burn sites if people haven’t already,” she says. “Within human activity, there’s industry activity and then of course there is the possibility of OHV fires – so if people are using off highway vehicles this weekend and throughout the summer, it’s really important that they check for hot spots.”
Ultimately, McLean says wildfire prevention is a group effort, and only works if everyone does their part.
“It’s really important that everybody remembers that wildfire prevention is a group effort,” she says. “We all need to work together to prevent wildfires, especially when we’re seeing more activity in forested areas like long weekends.”
McLean adds that residents should be mindful of where they plan on spending the weekend, as some forest areas and regions remain under fire bans, restrictions, and advisories. A detailed map of Alberta regional fire bans can be accessed on Alberta Fire Bans.
While the restriction has been removed for the entirety of the county, fire permits are still required year-round and can be delivered through the county’s website.
