Multiple fire bans take hold around Alberta
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on May 3, 2023.
https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews Fire risk is rising in the southeast and across the province as temperatures rise this week. Areas around Alberta’s two major cities are under fire restrictions as grass fires flare up near Calgary and Edmonton. Three counties near Calgary as well as the City of Airdrie issued fire advisory notices during the first two days of May. The City of Edmonton as well restricted fires, and nearby Parkland County was under a state of emergency as grass fires burned on the city’s outskirts. In the southeast, no bans are in place in Medicine Hat, though Cypress County upgraded to a fire restriction April 28, cancelling all burning permits and restricting all open fires. The Municipal District of Taber, Wheatland County and Newell County also instituted fire advisories in the last week citing high winds, warmer temperatures and drying field conditions. The County of Forty Mile has been under an advisory since early last month. The Village of Empress also issued a fire notice Tuesday, following a mid-April notice from the Special Areas Board. In Saskatchewan, fire bans are in place in 19 mostly northern communities, but none south of Highway 7 (which becomes Highway 9 when it enters Alberta near Oyen). 11-10
