Fire season is upon us and Wetaskiwin County's fire chief is asking residents to exercise due diligence to ensure everyone's safety.
Director of Emergency and Protective Services Mike Zajac said the department has dealt with a numbers of calls already, though he was optimistic there was significant moisture in the ground to avoid a really bad fire season.
"So far we've had a few grass fires," he said. "Nothing major as of yet. Here in the Wetaskiwin area we've had a decent amount of snow coverage and things are melting somewhat slow, so I think it's helping to soak into the ground and take away that hazard that we've had from the few previous years.
"The lighter fuels, your grasses and the dead fall in the bush is there, but below the ground the water soaking in is taking away some of that hazard. Every bit of moisture helps."
Wetter than normal conditions and less hazardous peat moss are a relief for the fire department, which answered a record number of calls last year — a total of 555 emergency calls were made in 2024, though Zajac cautioned that number also includes collisions and water rescue operations as well as wildland and structure fires.
In hopes of a quieter year, Zajac is reminding residents that any planned burns require a fire permit, which can be acquired by paper from a local fire guardian or filled out online at the county's website. All permits are free of charge.
The main reason for the permit, explained Zajac, is so the fire department knows what is burning in the county and when so they don't have to scramble if someone sees smoke from a permitted burn.
He said residents can do their part to prevent fires by simply being mindful of their surroundings.
"If you're grinding, welding — anything that's causing sparks — just make sure they're not bouncing into the dry grass," he said. "Burn campfires safely, have some water nearby and keep your fire to a certain size. Have it contained with a ring, make sure it's not too close to buildings or other combustible materials.
"Fireworks, those are another cause of them from time to time. But as long as you get the permit and discharging them appropriately, you should not have any problems. Just be aware of where you shoot, don't shoot at trees or dry grass or that."
He also advised drivers to be mindful of hot brakes, unsecured chains or unsecured loads or even discarded cigarettes, all of which can lead to ditch fires.
With a warming climate, fire season has been happening earlier and earlier in the year. Zajac noted April 1 used to be considered the start of fire season up until the Fort McMurray fires that forced that community's evacuation.
Alongside the warmer season, Alberta has been experiencing a serious drought in the northern part of the province. Zajac said the Wetaskiwin areas was fortunate to have areas so far spared from the year-over-year dry conditions.
"This area wasn't quite as dry out more into the east end of the county," he said. "It got drier as you went a little more west into the forest protection area.
"The topography changes. It gets a little hillier, you get more coniferous type trees, your spruce, pine, that sort of things. So the fuel load changes. Kind of a different landscape we have here — we've got a bit of everything."
Visit the county's website at https://www.county.wetaskiwin.ab.ca/225/Fire-Guardians-Fire-Permits for more information on fire permits and rules.
