Fire advisories are in effect for Ponoka and Clearwater Counties, and Rocky Mountain House Forest Area, due to continued dry conditions.
Robert Johnson, Ponoka County east district fire chief, said their advisory has actually been in place since last spring.
“We didn’t remove it at all. We just didn’t get a whole lot of moisture over the winter. We’re in the same boat as a lot of other areas in Alberta,” Johnson said.
Last spring a wildfire broke in the county on May 3, about eight km northwest of the Town of Ponoka and the provincial resources were called in to help.
“They came with a helicopter and a drop tank. It was a big learning curve for us. We typically don’t have to deal with that stuff,” said the fire chief who leads local firefighters who are paid, on-call volunteers.”
He said the fire may have reignited from a brush fire that burned over the winter, and about 200 acres of river valley, forest and pasture land were burned. Some nearby residents were put on standby to evacuate.
The fire was under control that evening, but it took three days to ensure it was extinguished over the entire area.
Under Ponoka County’s fire advisory, which includes Rimbey, the Town of Ponoka, and Summer Village of Parkland Beach, residents are permitted to use their backyard fire pits and burning barrels (with a mesh screen if/when unattended), incinerators (for farm and acreage use), barbecues (propane/charcoal briquette) and smokers.
But permits must be issued for larger burns, like brush piles, farm fields, or to clean up broken bales.
Johnson said a lot of farmers were waiting to burn during the winter, but without much snow, some have it put off completely until the county receives more moisture.
In the meantime, farmers are asked to only light what they can control and ensure there is equipment on site to control the fire. Better yet, put off burning until the winter when there’s snow, he added.
“On a day like today with the wind blowing, we’d ask them not to burn.”
Under the fire advisories for Clearwater County and Rocky Mountain house Forest Area, any burning without a valid fire permit, other than a campfire, is prohibited.
New burn permits will be considered on a case-by-case basis and only for essential burning. New fire permits will not be issued for non-essential heavy fuel burning such as machine-piled brush piles and windrows.
The Town of Innisfail has also maintained a fire restriction since May 2023 requiring burn permits to be subject to review.
To stay up-to-date on fire restrictions and fire bans, visit www.albertafirebans.ca.