About $2 million in government aid is headed for southern Alberta to cover some of the costs of a devastating prairie fire that left the foothills looking like a moonscape.
Money will be administered by Alberta Agriculture and the disaster services branch of Alberta transportation and utilities department.
Disaster services is covering:
- Municipal emergency operations such as firefighting costs.
- Repairs for six bridges lost in the fire.
- Municipal costs of cleaning up ditches full of ash and drifted topsoil, as well as fence line cleanup.
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Provincial help
Alberta Agriculture is providing:
- A compensation payment to municipalities working to reduce soil erosion. It covers the costs of graders creating windrows and working straw into the soil.
- A total payment of $400,000 to farmers for loss of winter pasture. This payment covers about 62,000 acres based on rates of $3 per acre for 12,400 acres of bush pasture and $7 per acre for 49,600 acres of open pasture.
- Primary producers may qualify for a disaster assistance loan if the viability of the farm is in jeopardy. The maximum amount of the loan is $100,000. Principal and interest payments may be deferred for two years and re-amortized over the remaining term of the loan.
