Fire advisory issued for Airdrie ahead of weekend

The City of Airdrie has issued a fire advisory due to current and forecasted hot, dry weather conditions.

The advisory was issued Friday afternoon and will remain in effect until conditions improve. While the coming days will see cooler weather, local forecasts predict 28 degrees on Saturday with gusty winds. 

Campfires in residential fire pits remain permitted, but the city warns they could be restricted or banned in the coming days if the fire risk increases.

All existing fire permits are suspended, except for acceptable burn barrels and incinerators. No new fire permits will be issued. Some essential burning may be allowed at the discretion of the municipal fire department.

Prohibited:

• Any burning without a valid fire permit (except backyard fire pits)

• Consumer fireworks

Permitted:

• Backyard fire pits that meet Airdrie’s fire pit regulations

• Wood campfires in approved residential pits

• CSA- or ULC-certified natural gas or propane fire pits

• Gas, propane, or electric barbecues, stoves, and smokers

• Solid-fuel barbecues using charcoal, briquettes, or wood

• CSA- or ULC-certified catalytic or infrared heaters

• Acceptable farm-use burn barrels

• Incinerator fires

• Approved industrial fires (energy, forestry, agriculture)

Earlier this week, Rocky View County issued a fire advisory for its western region, placing the entire municipality under the alert. On Friday, the neighbouring County of Mountain View announced a fire restriction for its jurisdiction northwest of Airdrie.

Wildfire risk remains either extreme or high across much of Alberta. As of Thursday afternoon, the Calgary Forest Area was rated "very high," according to the Government of Alberta’s wildfire status map. Officials warned that heat, wind and limited precipitation have increased the risk of fast-growing fires with erratic behaviour.

A fire advisory is in effect for the Calgary Forest Area. Existing permits remain valid but will not be extended. New permits are restricted to essential burning only. Fireworks and exploding targets are prohibited. There were no active wildfires in the region as of Thursday, but helicopter patrols are underway to detect and respond to any new ignitions.

Friday night will be clear before clouds build near morning, with a low of 7°C and winds easing after midnight. On Saturday, it’s expected to be cloudy early, clearing in the afternoon with a high of 28°C and gusts up to 50 km/h.

Showers may develop overnight with a 60 per cent chance and a low of 4°C. Sunday is forecast to be sunny with a high of 15°C, dropping to 2°C with a chance of overnight showers. Monday will bring a mix of sun and cloud, with a daytime high of 15°C and another low of 2°C overnight.

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