Lacombe County issued a countywide fire ban as of 10 a.m. Monday due to extremely dry conditions.
The ban requires all outdoor fires currently burning, whether set under the authority of a fire permit or not, to be extinguished.
All outstanding fire permits issued under the Forest and Prairie Protection Act have been suspended.
The ban allows the use of:
• Burning barrels provided they are covered with a metal mesh screen with openings no larger than 13 mm (half inch).
• Campfires used for cooking or warming purposes provided they are contained in a fire pit or campsite stove and are attended at all times. A fire pit is a hole in the ground at least 30 cm (12 inches) deep or a fireproof side enclosure 30 cm (12 inches) high. Fire pits must not be larger than 100 cm (40 inches) in diameter.
The ban does not apply to:
• Fires contained in cooking or heating appliances fuelled by a solid (charcoal briquettes) or liquid (propane, natural gas) fuel.
• Fires contained in industrial facilities or on industrial sites approved by a forest officer.
Burnable material will continue to be accepted at county waste transfer stations during the ban.
Anyone who sets a fire not allowed under the ban will be responsible for costs of extinguishing the fire pursuant to Lacombe County policy and may be charged under the Forest and Prairie Protection Act.
The ban will continue until further notice.