Fire bans issued for southwest Alberta

Government of Alberta press release
Update, September 1: Please note that due to recent precipitation and upcoming weather forecasts, the  Waterton Lakes National Park fire ban is not longer in effect.

The fire hazard in southwest Alberta has reached extreme levels, and with forecasts for hot, dry conditions for at least another week, the province has issued fire bans for both a portion of the region’s forest and in many nearby provincial parks and recreation areas.
(click read more for a list of affected areas)

Fire bans are in effect until further notice in the following provincial sites:

• Lundbreck Falls Provincial Recreation Area;
• Oldman Dam Provincial Recreation Area;
• Waterton Reservoir Provincial Recreation Area;
• Oldman River Provincial Recreation Area;
• Chain Lakes Provincial Park;
• Cypress Hills Provincial Park;
• Police Outpost Provincial Park;
• Woolford Provincial Park;
• Jensen Reservoir Provincial Recreation Area;
• Lake McGregor Provincial Recreation Area;
• Little Bow Reservoir Provincial Recreation Area;
• Maycroft Provincial Recreation Area;
• Payne Lake Provincial Recreation Area;
• St. Mary Reservoir Provincial Recreation Area; and
• Travers Reservoir Provincial Recreation Area.

Editor's note:  there is also a fire ban in effect at Waterton Lakes National Park, as we reported yesterday. Click here for more information about that situation.

If dry weather continues, further fire bans may be implemented. In provincial parks and recreation areas, these fire bans prohibit the use of all wood, briquette and propane/natural gas fires, including those contained in designated fire facilities and portable fire pits. Gas and propane stoves and barbecues, when approved for cooking, are allowed. Additional information is available at www.albertaparks.ca/firebans.

In the forested portion of the region, a partial fire ban is in effect for the area south of the Highwood River, and from south of Carnarvon Creek west to the British Columbia border, this includes Bob Creek Wildland Provincial Park and portions of Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park.

This ban does not apply to cities, towns, villages or summer villages within the ban area; however, these jurisdictions are able to issue their own fire bans. To see a list of all fire bans within the province, visit www.albertafirebans.ca

Under the partial fire ban applied to the region’s forests, any existing fires, including those set under the authority of a fire permit, must be extinguished immediately. The only exceptions are:

• fires contained within a cooking or heating appliance fuelled by fluids or compressed gas;
• fires contained within an existing fire receptacle in designated camping and recreation areas;
• walled tents with air tight stoves with proper screening as approved by a forest officer; and
• fires contained within industrial facilities or on industrial sites as approved by a forest officer.

The ban prohibits the use of fireworks, burn barrels, all fire pits and portable campfire appliances.


The fire hazard will be monitored on a daily basis, and the ban will be removed once conditions allow. Operators of off-highway vehicles are reminded to take extra care by ensuring they have a properly working spark arrestor, and that hot spots on their machine like the engine and exhaust are free of any burnable debris.

To report a wildfire, call 310-FIRE (3473). Visit us on Facebook by searching for Alberta wildfire info. To see the map of the ban area for provincial forests visit srd.alberta.ca