With a wildfire danger of moderate in the Grande Prairie Forest Area, officials with Alberta Wildfire are urging campers and users of off-highway vehicles (OHV) to use extra caution as we head into the fall.
Wildfire Information Officer Kelly Burke says while the seasonal change offers some relief, there are unique wildfire dangers in the autumn, and people should be aware of what to look for.
“Because of the cool mornings, all that vegetation is drying out and dying so it’s becoming more available, and that’s the kind of stuff that gets caught up in your OHV, and you just don’t know it,” she says.
“It starts building up in those hotspots and drops off and could start a wildfire without you even knowing it.”
But it’s not just OHV users who are being asked to keep fire safety top of mind, as anyone having a campfire or has done any burning must continue to thoroughly soak the fire and not presume cooler temperatures will help.
“They just leave it because the nights and mornings are cool and it might seem like the fire is out,” she says. “You don’t see any smoke or flame, but if it does have heat, it can hold over throughout the winter.”
Since March 1st, 97 wildfires have burned nearly 132 hectares in the Grande Prairie Forest Area.
