By Curtis Galbraith

Wildfire season

Wildfire season starts March 1

Mar 1, 2022 | 12:00 PM

March 1 marks the start of wildfire season in Alberta.

Grande Prairie Forest Area wildfire information officer Kelly Burke says this means permits are now required for burning.

“That is residential burning, industrial burning, or agricultural burning within the Forest Protection Area. You will require a permit.”

“For those people living outside of the Forest Protection Area, (they should) contact their local municipality for their forest protection requirements.”

Burke says having wildfire season start March 1 allows more time to get fire crews in place and trained before conditions become really dry.

“We get them trained up, so they have to do fitness testing. After we hire you, you have to pass a fitness test and if you don’t pass that fitness test, we won’t employ you.”

Burke adds it is too early to predict what the 2022 season will look like.

“The greatest impact (for us) will be the rain that we are going to get this spring. That will really indicate because the severity of the wildfire season will depend on when the trees turn green, and the leaves come out.”

Information in fire bans, along with OHV and fire restrictions, can be found at albertafirebans.ca.

Anyone who spots a wildfire can call 310-FIRE.

The province says 1308 wildfires across Alberta last year burned 52,955 hectares. More than 60 per cent of those fires were caused by humans.

Fire season runs through October 31.