LAC LA BICHE - Just days before the release of Alberta’s 2024 budget and the pledge of an additional $151 million over three years for provincial wildfire management, a fire advisory was put into place for Lac La Biche Forest Area section of the Forest Protection Area.
The early-season advisory was initiated by provincial officials and has prompted municipalities in the region-including Lac La Biche County-to institute local fire restrictions and limit the issuance of burn permits.
John Kokotilo, the regional fire chief for Lac La Biche County, said permits will be issued on a case-by-case basis. In an average year, Kokotilo told Lakeland This Week, there are approximately 125-150 permits issued. These permits are for everything from burn barrels, incinerators, to heavy burning that includes wind-rows and machine-piled brush piles.
According to a Feb. 23 release from Lac La Biche County, to keep in line with the province, a fire restriction is in effect for Lac La Biche County “due to dry conditions and a lack of precipitation from the fall and winter months.”
According to Kokotilo, over 85 per cent of Lac La Biche falls under the Alberta Forest Protection Area. Local fire officials follow Alberta Forestry and Parks lead on fire hazard ratings, which he says allows for less confusion for all residents when a hazard level is implemented.
When issuing permits, Kokotilo explained, each instance is reviewed for safety and compliance as well as following Alberta Forestry and Parks recommendations.
“Our staff are thoroughly trained in fire permitting and have been doing so for several years,” he told Lakeland This Week. “Above all, our focus is on the safety of the community as a whole and we abide by this. We ask the public to do their part and be extremely cautious.”
Under this restriction, new fire permits will not be issued for non-essential heavy fuel burning such as machine-piled brush fires and wind-rows. Outside of campfires, any burning done without a valid fire permit is prohibited.
Although the current fire hazard risk in the region is categorized as “Low,” Kokotilo said all indications point to an extremely volatile fire season. The fire chief says Kokotilo fire officials believe this may be an unprecedented year for fire activity due to the abnormal lack of snow and moisture.
“If we do not receive an ample amount of snow prior to spring or heavy spring rains we assume that it will be an extremely busy year,” he said.
Concerned about the potential for a busy fire season, Kokotilo said fire officials from Lac La Biche County have been proactive in having meetings with mutual aid partners, including Forestry and Parks and neighbouring Indigenous communities.
Most municipalities were already preparing for a challenging fire season weeks before the new funding was announced in the provincial budget.
“We are inventorying and checking our wildland firefighting equipment earlier than usual as well as acquiring additional resources for this year,” he stated.
