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Dry season means fire season
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Grass fires can start very easily when it is dry, and they can get out of hand very quickly. When a you spot a grass fire it is important to report it immediately, even if you think it may be a controlled burn.
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Here the forestry crew along with local volunteers work to keep a fire at bay, as well as, wet the area around the fire to prevent the spread of it.
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Here a forestry crew member insures the fire stays under control, by wetting the tree line near a local residence.
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Mac Olsen
For Spotlight
The end of winter can bring a hot spring/summer and the risk of grass and forest fires.
Leah Lovequist, a wildfire information officer for Sustainable Resource Development in Slave Lake, says the region is currently experiencing very dry conditions and strong winds.
“Until we get some (precipitation), we’re going to be at a high fire hazard,” says Lovequist.
“We’re reminding the public to get your fire permits before you start burning anything, except for a campfire, as you don’t need a permit for it.”
Beforehand, the SRD staff evaluates the site for burning and they will provide information about safe burning conditions.
It is best to burn after 6 p.m., when the winds are calm and have equipment like a shovel and a garden hose with water on hand.
“Always attend your fires. Never leave (the fires) unsupervised and when you’re done burning, make sure they’re extinguished.”
If using a burning barrel, it cannot have any holes and it must be covered with a screen. There are other sources of fire risk, such as quads and Lovequist has tips for it too.
“When you’re going through muskeg at this time of the year, (it) starts to cake onto your muffler … and then it heats up.
"If you don’t clear away that debris and ride off into a grass area, the debris will fly off and it will be hot and can spark a wildfire.”
Farmers should keep their machinery’s motors and mufflers cleared of debris for the same reason, she says.
The SRD has information about its program FireSmart at http://www.srd.alberta.ca/wildfires/firesmart/default.aspx, with a FireSmart manual for homeowners. It includes information about how to assess the home and site for fire hazards.
“It’s simple things you can do around your yard to make it fire smart, like removing your stacked wood piles against your house; clearing bush around your house; trimming the trees and clearing the underbrush; and watering and mowing your grass.”
Lovequist also offers tips for homes endangered by fire.
“If they have rain bird sprinklers which (flick water), they should put them on the roof, run some hoses and turn on the water from the house,” she says.
Lovequist also says they should keep the grass wet around their houses and keep the grass mowed too. If evacuation is required, they should have a bag of essential items ready to go.
If they live on an acreage in the country, they should ensure their address is visible for firefighters to read. The SRD does not deal with structural fires, only municipal district fire departments do, she adds.
For more information about fire hazards, wildfires or FireSmart, please go to www.srd.gov.ab.ca and click on the “Wildfire” tab at the top of the page.
For information about fire bans, please go to www.albertafirebans.ca To report a fire, please call 310-FIRE.
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