Athabasca County Fire Services (ACFS) would like to remind all permit holders that now is the time to check their winter burns.
As part of its fire prevention program, Athabasca County Fire Services (ACFS) completes spot checks of winter burn sites to verify that landowners have extinguished permitted burns before the spring fire season. As of March 27th, ACFS staff have inspected 98 winter burn sites. Of these sites 12 have been found to still have active burning/smouldering. This is a concerning amount of fires still active after permit expiration.
Athabasca County Fire Services would like to take this opportunity to remind all residents outside the Forest Protection Area that:
• A valid permit is required for all open burning, with the exception of bylaw compliant fire pits, year round.
• It is the permit holders responsibility to ensure that the fire is fully extinguished prior to the permit expiring.
o Should a extension be required, this can be done over the phone at (780)675-2273.
• Burning without a permit, or allowing a fire to continue to burn after permit expiration, is an offense under the fire service bylaw and may result in enforcement action including orders, fines, and/or the levying of response costs.
