Alberta campers take precautions as province-wide fire ban continues
CTV
May long weekend often marks the unofficial kickoff to camping season in Alberta, but a province-wide fire ban and volatile wildfire conditions are prompting thousands of outdoor enthusiasts to take precautions.
May long weekend often marks the unofficial kickoff to camping season in Alberta, but a province-wide fire ban and volatile wildfire conditions are prompting thousands of outdoor enthusiasts to take precautions.
The fire danger is extreme in northern Alberta and high throughout almost all of the rest of the province with 487 fires having burned 765,000 hectares of land so far.
A fire ban and off-highway vehicle restriction remain in place across the forest protection area, which runs along the foothills and Rocky Mountains, and all of northern Alberta’s boreal forest.
The news of a fire ban comes with mixed emotions for those who were camping at the Elk Flats Camping Area just west of Calgary in the Kananaskis Bow Valley area.
“You know we miss the smell of a good old campfire, but certainly we don’t mind not worrying about spreading wildfires in this area,” said Moe Saunders.
“Everybody here feels it’s really important to follow those rules especially when crews up north are working so hard to manage those wildfires," Saunders said. "We’re thinking of those families who have their homes threatened and we’re so lucky that we can still be here enjoying our long weekend.”
Campers in the area that CTV News spoke with add that they are strictly using propane grills for cooking and also using them for warmth when it gets cooler at night.
