The Drumheller Fire Department, as well as surrounding counties, are monitoring the current dry conditions, happening due to lack of moisture and strong winds.
The lack of moisture and strong winds have the Town of Drumheller and surrounding counties monitoring the dry conditions, and has led to a suspension of fire permits in Wheatland County for all burnable debris and grass.
Dry conditions saw two recent fires spread too close for comfort along an active railway line, said Wheatland’s General Manager of Agriculture, Jim Laslo.
He adds with these two fires, Strathmore Rural and Carseland Fire Departments were able to extinguish both fires quickly, but the lack of moisture prompted action.
“As a result of our investigation of those fires, it was determined that there was quite an extreme risk of fire at this point in time. So we wanted to suspend the current permits that are out there,” he said.
Laslo said the dry grass conditions, coupled with the winds that Wheatland County’s been experiencing, prompted them to suspend the fire permits as a precautionary measure.
He said the County hasn’t issued a formal fire ban just yet and will have to wait and see what happens with moisture content.
“I think that this early in the year, it’s drier than what I have previously seen,” he notes. “It has been dry at times when we’ve had to do this, but this early in the year - in March - it's drier than I recall.”
Exemptions to the suspension can be found under “Notice: Fire Permits Supended” at www.wheatlandcounty.ca.
Kneehill County told The Mail "As of right now, Kneehill County has no issued Fire Ban in progress. However, it is up for discussion among our Fire Chiefs within the County."
County residents can check Kneehill’s website at www.kneehillcounty.com., where the county would post information on fire restrictions or bans.
Starland County Fire Marshall Glen Riep said the county is looking at possibly suspending permits for controlled burns, but they're not in a situation where they're putting fire bans on.
Drumheller Fire Chief Bruce Wade said the fire department is monitoring the dry conditions daily, and adds that people should take extra caution with matches, cigarettes, backyard fires, campfires, etc, because conditions are so dry.
Wade said there is currently no fire ban in effect for Drumheller.