EDMONTON – Strathcona County has issued a fire ban throughout all rural areas, hamlets, and Sherwood Park. The ban comes just one day after Edmonton experienced record-breaking high temperatures.
Alberta’s recent combination of low humidity, strong winds and heat has already caused several wildfires across the province.
“When those three things come together, what we end up with is, unfortunately, a situation that is very dangerous for wildfires,” said Darrell Reid, fire chief of Strathcona County.
The ban, which took effect at noon on Tuesday, forbids all outdoor fires until further notice; no fireworks, charcoal barbeques, or recreational fire pits.
“The ban does not allow for any open burning, definitely no burning of wood pits or anything of that nature,” Reid said. “Burning with propane barbeques would be allowed, but that is about the only one.”
Residents who fail to comply with the ban could face fines as high as $1,000, and would also be forced to cover the cost associated with any response from the Strathcona Fire Department. However, the severity of the ban might not last long.
“I should say that we are monitoring the situation,” Reid said. “If we are able to move to a partial fire ban, which would allow for recreational fires and licensed camp sites to have fire at their accommodation, we will move it that direction.”
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