Fire damages near Drayton Valley, photo courtesy: Alberta Wildfire Facebook

By Erika Rolling

Wildfires

Alberta Wildfire updates fire situation, issues province-wide OHV restriction and fire ban

May 5, 2023 | 12:56 PM

On Friday morning, Alberta Wildfire’s Information Unit Manager Christie Tucker updated the province on the wildfire situation across Alberta.

At the time this article was written, 84 wildfires are active in Alberta with 23 of those classified as out of control.

Tucker says so far this year there have been 378 wildfires that have burned over 25,000 hectares of land.

“That’s significantly more wildfire activity for this time of year than we’ve certainly seen in any time in the recent past.”

Conditions are expected to be hot and windy in the northern half of the province in the coming days and as a precaution a province-wide fire ban in forest protection area and an off-highway vehicle restriction.

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Tucker says fire danger is very high to extreme and, “the conditions are right for a wildfire to start and spread very quickly.”

The province says all existing fire permits are suspended or canceled and no new ones will be issued.

Prohibited:

• All outdoor wood fires are banned, including wood campfires on public lands, wood campfires on private land, and provincial campgrounds
• Backyard firepits
• BBQ charcoal briquettes
• The use of fireworks and exploding targets
• The recreational use of off-highway vehicles (OHV) on public lands, including designated OHV trails

Allowed:

• Propane/natural gas-powered appliances
• Open flame oil devices (e.g., turkey deep fryers, tiki torches)
• Indoor wood fires contained within a device with a chimney and spark arrestor
• All appliances must be CSA approved and used per the manufacturer’s standards
• Indigenous people when using an OHV for traditional purposes. Traditional purposes are hunting, fishing, and trapping – including the use of an OHV to travel to the location(s) for these purposes
• Essential industry-related activities requiring the use of OHVs
• Off-highway vehicle use is still permitted on private lands

Tucker notes to stay up to date on what bans and restrictions are in place around the province, to visit Alberta Fire Bans website.

According to the province, over 13,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes in Alberta due to threateningly close wildfires in different regions.

Main highways and roads have been closed in result in central Alberta near Drayton Valley, check Alberta 511‘s website to stay in the know on the roadway closures.