Given the long stretches of warm weather southern Alberta has enjoyed recently as it eases into spring, the M.D. of Taber has jumped on board in issuing a fire ban to its residents.
“There is a fire ban around us. The County of Warner, the County of Lethbridge and Cardston County are currently banned,” said Jon Hood, agricultural fieldman for the M.D. of Taber to M.D. council at its March 13 meeting. “The City of Lethbridge is now banned and has been banned for almost two weeks. M.D. of Rocky View is now banned, City of Calgary will now be banned... Cypress County is preparing a ban.”
The extreme dry conditions and high winds has made for optimum conditions for fires to get out of control, as was witnessed this past weekend in the province in Cypress Hills.
“It’s extremely dry. I’ve talked with dryland guys, all of you have open grass and what we saw this fall and in the news lately, it can be a dangerous year,” said Hood.
The fire ban was approved unanimously with the Taber landfill and screened burning barrels exempt.
PERMIT PARTY: Hood clarified some confusion over fire permits and where they can be used when fire bans are not in effect.
“We give you a number and when we talk to you, the information we give you is that you need to phone in when you light any and all fires, you need to give a fire permit number with your name,” said Hood. “And you need to give a legal land description of where you are burning at. You can move it (the permit) around to different locations if you own the land.”