With spring just around the corner, wildfire season comes right along with it,\u00a0and Alberta Wildfire is asking the public to start be cautious with flammables out in the province's forests.<\/p>\n
The official start of wildfire season is March 1: those who are working with open flames in forested areas must have a permit, with the exception of campfires.<\/p>\n
Melissa Story, provincial information officer with Alberta Wildfire, spoke with CFWE about how to be as safe as possible with fires out in the bush.<\/p>\n
Alberta Wildfire confirmed that 60 per cent of wildfires in 2022 were \"human caused.\" Story said the best way to prevent a wildfire from starting is to \"fully extinguish\" a campfire by \"soaking the ashes, until their cool to the touch.\" The provincial information officer also advised the public to look out for is \"hotspots\" on off-road vehicles, which can have \"smoldering debris that can drop to the ground\" and start a fire.<\/p>\n
Alberta has a vast terrain, and wildfires in the province aren't just limited to the forests: grass fires are easy to start and are just as dangerous as forest wildfires. Story says that the best way to prevent grass fires is to follow the same precautions: \"be extra careful and making sure your fire is extinguished.\"<\/p>\n