Hot, dry conditions posing extreme hazard

It’s bad news for anybody looking forward to a midsummer weenie roast while camping this weekend.

A hot forecast and tinder-dry conditions have prompted an expansion of open fire bans already in place throughout parts of the province.

As of Thursday morning, open burning is banned in almost every municipality in southern Alberta, including sections of the forest protection area south of the Red Deer river, and along the Eastern Slopes and foothills south to Waterton National Park.

While the ban forbids open burning and campfires, gas stoves, barbecues and propane fire pits are still permitted.

Fireworks and exploding targets are also included in the ban.

Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Minister Oneil Carlier attributed the bans to the hot, dry conditions that are pushing fire hazard levels well into the “extreme” range in many forest areas.

Violators of the ban face fines of $287.

Meanwhile, other portions of southern and central Alberta remain under fire advisories and restrictions that tightly restrict or revoke burning permits.

This comes as crews continue to battle a wildfire in the Verdant Creek area southwest of Banff, responsible for a large plume of smoke that blew over Calgary on Wednesday evening.

Environment Canada meteorologist Dave Carlsen told Postmedia that prevailing winds carried the smoke east from the fire site toward the city, suspended about 15,000 feet above the ground.

Air quality across Calgary is expected to hover between 3 and 4 into the weekend, straddling the line between a low and moderate risk.

Visit albertafirebans.ca for more information on areas affected by burning restrictions.