Fire bans

Please be aware that Strathcona County - along with MANY other counties in and around the Edmonton area, now have a TOTAL fire ban.

This means that you are not allowed to have ANY fire outside. No fire pits of any kind. No camp fires. No burning in barrels or piles of garbage. All fire permits from the county are suspended.

Propane BBQ's are still allowed to be used.

In some areas ATV's are no longer allowed to be used. However, currently in Strathcona County you MAY use your ATV - BUT, you MUST make sure it remains clear of debris AND be mindful of any sparks from it.

Do NOT throw down cigarette butts near any grassland OR throw them from a car window anywhere near farmland or at the edge of highways etc etc.....near ditches etc etc - the grass is tinder dry - it is going to take a LOT of rain to help the situation.

Please check your city bylaw/ council/ county web pages for updates.

Peoples lives, homes, livestock and farmland are at risk!!! Many of these homes are NOT on city water and this means they do not even have water to fight the fire when it arrives - water has to be trucked in from the city. Wells run dry VERY quickly. It isn't like in the city where a fire truck can attach a hose to a hydrant - we don't have hydrants here near acreages!!

Lets hope we get a lot of rain over the next few days and the situation eases.....

Details on the situation including photographs:

www.strathcona.ab.ca/Strathcona/Whats+New/News+releases/May+2009/Fire+in+North+Strathcona.htm