OLDS — So far this spring no fire restrictions have been implemented in Olds, nor did Olds Fire Department (OFD) Chief Justin Andrew anticipate one being instituted “unless conditions become a lot worse."
But that doesn’t mean the department hasn’t been busy fighting grass fires.
"We have had a busy run the last week with a variety of incidents,” Andrew told the Albertan on April 29. “We did see the start of grass fire season for OFD early last week as we responded to several different incidents in the rural areas.”
Andrew said the reason Olds had not implemented a fire ban is that it does not face the same environmental conditions as other areas such as Mountain View County do.
“The reason is that we do not face the same threat of interface fires, as we are not surrounded by forest and the grasslands are minimal, as we have farmed fields surrounding us,” he said.
With last week's snow and rain, a fire restriction ordered for Mountain View County on April 23 was lifted on May 1. Red Deer County's fire restriction issued on April 19 was downgraded to a fire advisory on May 2.
Andrew said all fire chiefs in the county agreed that conditions were very dry, thus creating a “high fire potential.”
“This year we are seeing a very low fine fuel moisture content (organic material laying on top of the ground such as needles, leaves, and wood) and the Duff layer (organic material mixed into the top six inches of soil),” he wrote.
“This condition has the Alberta fire service in general concerned for the prospect of wildfires, and as a result, we are being proactive with restrictions and outright fire bans.”
Andrew said so far, the OFD is seeing a similar start to the fire season as it did last year. It hadn't responded to any more fire calls in April 2024 than it did last year.
One difference is that last year at this time, the OFD had already been asked to support the firefighting efforts of Brazeau County near Drayton Valley. So far, they haven’t received any such calls.
Andrew said although Olds has not issued a fire ban or restrictions, residents are still urged to follow practices to prevent fires.
“We still ask people to be vigilant and follow our fire bylaw requirements for backyard fires,” he wrote.
Andrew also pointed out that the town still does not allow fireworks to be discharged within town limits unless approved via a permit. That applies to consumer-grade fireworks sold in local stores.
“We ask that wherever you travel in Alberta this spring, be fire-smart and think of the consequences of your actions,” Andrew wrote.
“Inform yourself of restrictions and rules for camping in both accredited spots or the backcountry.
“We do not advocate burning garbage or yard waste at any time of the year."
