Ongoing dry conditions in the Foothills prompted fire chiefs in Black Diamond and Turner Valley to issue a fire restriction order in their communities.
Ongoing dry conditions in the Foothills prompted fire chiefs in Black Diamond and Turner Valley to issue a fire restriction order in their communities.
On the heels of the MD of Foothill's fire ban last week, fire chiefs in both towns issued the restriction due to the current hot and dry conditions.
“There's been a few questions, but for the most part people are understanding of why we're doing it,” said Black Diamond Fire Chief Jamie Campbell. “They understand when all they have to do is look to B.C. Lots of those fires are human-caused and have caused significant damage to people's property.”
Fire pits in backyards, open burning and charcoal barbecues are prohibited, said Campbell. The public is advised to exercise extreme caution when using recreational fire pits in campgrounds.
“We have the campground in town that's fairly secure as far as what's surrounding the actual fire pits,” he said, referring to the Bob Lochhead Memorial Campground in Black Diamond. “Most of them are surrounded by gravel.”
Campbell said the risk of fire was extreme in early July until a couple days of rain brought it down to high. Now it's back to extreme, he said.
“In the space of three or four days we are right back to where we were,” he said. “When you look at the tops of the hills around us they are brown and that's not normal in July. You typically see that in September into October.”
The risk of fire is lower in urban centres compared to rural areas, said Campbell.
He said it doesn't take much for a fire to ignite and go out of control in rural areas from fires burning in burn barrels surrounded by long grass, old burn piles, discarded cigarettes and fireworks.
“Our risk in the community is less than in the MD because we don't have the long grass they do,” he said. “Someone throws a cigarette out the window in the town it goes onto pavement. There's as slim chance something could happen in the community and spread outside the community where there's a ban.”
Campbell said he and Turner Valley Fire Chief Glenn Baxter won't call a fire ban in the towns until it's absolutely necessary.
“If the province decides to do a ban we will follow suit,” said Campbell.
In the meantime, Campbell asks the public to adhere to the restrictions until wet and cool weather allows the fire chiefs to remove them.
“You get the normal grumbling that happens with people, but most often they understand,” he said. “All you have to do is look to the west of us and see what's happening in B.C.”
To learn more about what the restrictions entail go to town.blackdiamond.ab.ca or turnervalley.ca
