Early protection measures in place for wildfire season

February 16, 2016. There is still snow on the ground, but permits will be required as of March 1 for all planned fires in Alberta’s forest protection area, with the exception of campfires. Accelerating wildfire season preparations was one of the recommendations of the Flat Top Wildfire Complex Review that followed the 2011 Slave Lake area wildfires. “By beginning one month early, we can more effectively monitor burning activities and also ensure that our firefighters are well prepared to respond quickly when wildfires are detected,” said Agriculture and Forestry Minister Oneil Carlier. Training starts for wildfire crew members and leaders at Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s training centre in Hinton, beginning in March. Fire permits are free and can be requested at any Agriculture and Forestry office. Last year, Alberta spent Alberta spent $474-million fighting 1,786 wildfires that claimed almost 5,000 square kilometres. Below average snowfall this winter could lead to more fires this year.