Province issues fire advisory as hot, dry conditions forecast

Recent hot weather has turned forests in the Calgary region into some of the driest in the province, leading to some burning restrictions.

And provincial officials say a forecast of hot, dry conditions for at least the next week will likely mean tighter restrictions and possible fire bans.

“We expect hazard levels to continue to climb, and people can expect to see more advisories — and escalating ones,” said Melinda Paplawski of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.

On Tuesday, the ministry released an advisory with a very high fire hazard level, accompanied by a ban on all kinds of burning other than campfires.

PERMITS SUSPENDED

New permits for activities such as the use of burning barrels or controlled brush fires in the areas west of the city have also been suspended.

“The only areas with that rating are the Calgary and Ft. McMurray zones,” said Paplawski.

But with soaring temperatures expected to endure throughout the province, that risk is expected to spread, she said.

“We’re planning on seeing escalating levels of preparedness,” said Paplawski.

While there’s no ban on campfires, the province is asking outdoors enthusiasts to step up their vigilance, while limiting the size of their fires.

Over the long weekend, officials found 49 abandoned, still-hot campfires in the Calgary zone, a stretch along the Eastern Slopes of the Rockies running from near the U.S. border to the Red Deer River, said Matthew Anderson.

“We rely on the public to be responsible, the hazard is very high,” said Anderson, noting conditions aren’t yet tinder dry.

“But soon, that’ll be the terminology we’ll be using if these weather conditions continue.”

The long-range forecast calls for temperatures in the high 20s or low 30s in Calgary.

As the hot weather draws more people into the forests, the chance for the sparking wildfires only rises, said Anderson.

As of Tuesday morning, there were 11 wildfires burning in Alberta, none of them out of control.