Crews throughout Alberta are busy positioning crews, aircraft, and other equipment in order to prepare for the start of the 2015 wildfire season, which officially begins on March 1.
According to a release, the province is also training new personnel and sending staff to lookout towers throughout the province to be ready for the potential danger.
Officials are also warning residents who live, work, or will be visiting the province’s forested areas to take extra care while burning in the spring. They say dry conditions and high winds can easily fuel wildfires.
Corporations conducting operations in those areas will also need to ensure their emergency response and wildfire management systems are fully operational and can respond to potential situations.
The province also reminds residents that if anyone, whether an individual or a company, is found responsible for starting a wildfire, they may be charged with the cost of fighting the fire and be fined under the Forest and Prairie Protection Act.
Fire permits will also be required for any type of burning outside of a campfire within the Fire Protection Area.
They can be acquired at no cost from any Environment and Sustainable Resource Development office.
During 2014, the Alberta government responded over to 1,400 wildfires, with 60 percent of those caused by human activity.
Those wildfires burned 23, 117 hectares, roughly about one third the size of Edmonton.
More information about fire bans in Alberta can be found on albertafirebans.ca.
