Alberta farmers who want to burn agricultural debris this spring will require a permit now that the wildfire season has begun.
Permits will also be required for residential and industrial burning.
Fire permits can be obtained from the municipality where the burning will occur.
The wildfire hazard is highest in spring when trees and grass contain little moisture after snow has melted and regrowth isn’t well underway.
“Thanks to the diligence of Albertans, effective department preparations and substantial precipitation in many areas of the province, last season proved to be one of the slowest years Alberta has seen in decades in terms of both number of wildfires and area burned,” said a March 1 government news release.
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It said the department is employing various measures to control fires, including:
- Exploring remote camera, drone and satellite technologies to help modernize wildfire detection and data collection.
- Implementing modern remote automated weather stations that provide real-time or hourly data rather than once or twice per day.
- Continuing to evaluate the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of new firefighting tools and practices, such as gels, drones, cameras and water delivery systems such as large and mobile pumps and sprinklers.
- Researching the best tree and vegetation management practices to help Albertans effectively better protect their communities and build resilience to wildfires.
The latest information on fire restrictions, fire bans, restrictions on off-highway vehicles, and general wildfire data can be found at albertafirebans.ca or by calling 866-FYI-FIRE.
