Parts of province under fire bans as Albertans look to enjoy summer weather
Posted July 12, 2024 4:22 pm.
Last Updated July 13, 2024 9:40 am.
If you’re planning on going camping this weekend, expect a fire ban.
In response to the hot, dry conditions across the province, a fire ban was implemented for Alberta’s entire forest protection area.
READ MORE: Fire ban in place for entire Forest Protection Area in Alberta
“Which means that there are no wood burning fires or backyard campfires in any of the forest protection areas. These kinds of measures are put in place so that we can limit those human-caused wildfires,” explained Melissa Story, the information officer with Alberta Wildfire.
But if you are staying in Edmonton, there’s still no ban as of Friday afternoon. The city says they are monitoring conditions, while nearby communities like St. Albert, Stony Plain, and Spruce Grove have issued fire restrictions.
In northern Alberta, an evacuation order remains in place for nearly 1,000 residents of Garden River — east of High Level — and while there is no immediate threat to the community, it’s burning only eight kilometres from the only highway in and out of the remote community.
READ MORE: Little Red River Cree Nation declares State of Emergency due to wildfire
“We have over 200 wildland firefighters that are responding to it. The cooler conditions that we are seeing today have made for good progress on the front line for them,” said Story.
Nationally, officials say just shy of 1.3 million hectares have burned across the country this wildfire season, which is close to the 10-year average for this time of year.
READ MORE: Wildfire season close to 10-year average heading into the peak summer months
“Provinces are actively supporting each other at this point, in fact, I think we saw a number of firefighters move into Alberta yesterday from several provinces as well. And we are starting to have conversations with the US and others in case requests are needed,” said Deryck Trehearne, the director general of the Government Operations Centre for Public Safety Canada.
One hundred wildfires are burning in Alberta as of Friday afternoon. More than half of those are suspected to be started by lightning.
