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Fire bans declared in Athabasca, Lac La Biche

The Town of Athabasca, Athabasca County, Village of Boyle and Lac La Biche Forest Area have all declared fire bans. The Lac La Biche Forest Area issued a fire ban May 25.
20180522-Controlled burn-AB-1
The smoke from a controlled burn granted by fire permit could be seen from Highway 55 east of Athabasca May 22. The Lac La Biche Forest Area suspended fire permits May 23.

The Town of Athabasca, Athabasca County, Village of Boyle and Lac La Biche Forest Area have all declared fire bans.


The Lac La Biche Forest Area issued a fire ban May 25. The use of off-highway vehicles for recreational use on all public lands has also been prohibited.


The Town of Athabasca issued a fire ban notice May 24. Boyle and Athabasca County both issued fire ban notices May 23. The bans prohibit all open fires across all jurisdictions, suspends all existing fire permits and prevents any new fire permits from being issued.


Athabasca County director of emergency services Ron Jackson said with the land drying out and an extended forecast of hot, dry weather, upgrading the county’s previous fire restriction into a fire ban made sense.


“Forecast is for extended hot and dry weathers and things are drying out,” Jackson said in an interview. “The wind, it’s just ideal, increasing the fire hazard. It just makes good sense.”


The neighbouring jurisdictions work together to co-ordinate fire bans, Jackson said.


“We all work together to make sure the message is unified,” Jackson said.


The fire ban designation prohibits all open fires, including recreational fire pits, burn barrels, fireworks and exploding targets and charcoal barbecues. Gas or propane-fired appliances for cooking or warming are allowed, according to the Alberta wildfire map.


The bans come with the Lac La Biche Forest Area battling eight active wildfires as of May 24, four of which were classified as out of control, according to an update by wildfire information officer Leah Lovequist.


Jackson said the Athabasca County jurisdiction has no wildfires burning in a May 23 interview.


He further said there were no incidents with enforcing the fire restriction active over the Victoria Day long weekend in Athabasca County.


“We had no incidents and no enforcement issues. I think people were very reasonable and responsible,” Jackson said.

Controlled burn

There was also smoke visible May 22 along Highway 55 near Alberta-Pacific Industries due to a controlled burn by a farmer in the area, according to Lac La Biche Area wildfire information officer Leslie Lozinski.


Lozinski said the individual had been granted a fire permit and had been allowed to burn May 22, as the Lac La Biche Forest Area only suspended fire permits May 23.


There is no set notification process for fire permits, Lozinski said in an interview, as permit holders are only required to follow the parameters of the permit.


“The landowner who applied for the permit is responsible to conduct the burn within the parameters of the permit and if smoke is anticipated to impact the public, they are required to have signage on with roadways to ensure public safety,” Lozinski said, adding the landowner for the controlled burn May 22 did nothing wrong.

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