After wet start to summer, dry conditions have led to fire bans and restrictions
By Medicine Hat News on August 12, 2020.
Minimal rain and hotter weather in southeast Alberta are drying out crops, but also increasing concern about prairie fires. A fire restriction in the County of Forty Mile, enacted Aug. 6, cancelled all burning permits and restricted outdoor fires to approved containers, such as barrels and barbecues, and in place campfire pits. Cypress County has been under various fire control orders since March 1 in order to curb potential fires during the pandemic. The current order involves cancelling all burning permits and restrictions on fireworks. On the American side of the border, a “Red Flag” warning, denoting heavy wildfire risk, was expanded to eastern Montana by the Dept. of National Resources and Conservation. It calls for residents to avoid any activity that could cause sparks in rural areas until Thursday. The Special Areas sent out a fire advisory July 31, asking that only necessary fires proceed, and that extra precautions be observed. Further restrictions could be warranted. No restrictions exist in the County of Newell. In southwest Saskatchewan, fire bans are in place in RMs near the Alberta boundary, such as Enterprise, Maple Creek, Reno and White Valley. An urban municipal fire ban is in place in Eatonia. The most recent crop report from Saskatchewan agriculture shows extremely dry soil conditions in pockets south of the Cypress Hills Interprovincial park, Maple Creek, Gull Lake and Leader. 10-9
