Level III Fire Ban in effect in Rocky View County

As of 4 p.m. on May 14, permitted burning in Rocky View County is banned due to dry, windy conditions. All outstanding burning permits are suspended until further notice.

“Due to the latest information related to low humidity and high temperatures, a Level III Ban is now essential,” said Rocky View County Fire Services Chief Ken McMullen. “We ask residents to cut all high, dry grass and shrubs near their homes and accessory buildings as a safety precaution, as the conditions are prime for igniting and spreading fire.”

This fire ban will be in effect until the fire chief’s office deems it appropriate to change it for the purposes of the Forest and Prairie Protection Act and the Rocky View County Prevention and Control of Fires Bylaw.

A Level III Fire Ban represents an extreme fire risk for the county and the current dry conditions can cause hay fields, crops, grass, and brush to ignite easily and fires to spread very quickly.

This ban includes:

• Incinerators (for farm and acreage use)

• Regulated burning barrels

• Solid fuel barbecues (charcoal briquettes)

• Recreational campfires (approved burn pit 24” in diameter or less)

• Camp stoves

• Chimeneas

• Fires contained within approved facilities and appliances in designated camping and recreational areas.

The exemptions to this fire ban are listed as follows:

• Internal household fireplaces

• Liquid fuel barbecues (propane and natural gas)

Alberta’s Sustainable Resource Development staff monitor the risk of wildfire across the province daily, and in a 24-hour period, there have been 20 new wildfire starts. Since April 1, Alberta has recorded 294 wildfires, which have burned about 2,500 hectares of land.

For more information on the fire ban, contact McMullen at 403-478-8164.