OHV & Fire Bans

[MathewsArcher]

The Province just announced OHV and Fire Bans throughout most of the forested area of the Province. Going to be a long boring summer.

To help reduce the risk of spring wildfires, Alberta Wildfire is taking a number of steps to help ensure the province can effectively focus resources where they are needed most, as part of our COVID-19 response plan.

Measures include:

+ A fire ban in the Forest Protection Area, provincial parks and protected areas

+ Recreational off-highway vehicle (OHV) ban on Crown land in the Forest Protection Area

+ Fines are being doubled from $300 to $600 for non-compliance with a fire and from $600 to $1,200 for non-compliance with an OHV restriction

+ An additional $5 million investment to hire and train 200 high-quality firefighters to assist with provincial wildfire suppression.

+ $20 million in funding for community FireSmart initiatives, which helps reduce wildfire risks around at-risk communities in Alberta and help mitigate wildfire damages and losses.

Last year, 71 per cent of wildfires were human-caused and entirely preventable.

https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?x...KNEIXfOBWe8FNA

[Albertadiver]

People are going to be going absolutely batty for the next 6 months....

[Justfishin73]

link no good

[MathewsArcher]

Fixed the link

[Justfishin73]

Sigh.....smart I suppose, but man, what am supposed to do with all this free time stuck at home--get in shape??

Edit--looking at the map, not so bad

https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/f37f...ap-feb2015.pdf

[st99]

It's not even dry out there, who knows, we could have the wetest spring ever. I guess half my bear hunting spots are out of reach.

[MathewsArcher]

Going to be tough for the bear hunters, that's for sure!

[MathewsArcher]

Originally Posted by Justfishin73

Sigh.....smart I suppose, but man, what am supposed to do with all this free time stuck at home--get in shape??

Edit--looking at the map, not so bad

https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/f37f...ap-feb2015.pdf

You realize its the entire white area (forested) area on the map. No OHVs or fires on any crown land in the forested areas of the province.

[wildwoods]

This is getting out of hand. How incredibly, mind numbingly ridiculous

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by MathewsArcher

You realize its the entire white area (forested) area on the map. No OHVs or fires on any crown land in the forested are of the province.

And pretty much no camping either. We have a few spots we like to go backpacking into that are in PLUZ, and that's now a no-go...

I think this is getting pretty extreme.

[Redneck 7]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

This is getting out of hand. How incredibly, mind numbingly ridiculous

Wow. Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse... may as well pass a law for no one to do anything to help there sanity being cooped up indoors. My bear spot is in that white area on the map.

[MathewsArcher]

No end date to the bans either. Anyone think it might extend through the fall?

[Tronneroi]

Hmm, what kind of party are people going to have when this all gets back to normal...

It'll be the roaring 20's all over again if we don't all die of boredom.

[mikevv]

So the way I understand it ... is a person can still camp in the white area with no camp fire or quad. Correct??
Mike

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by mikevv

So the way I understand it ... is a person can still camp in the white area with no camp fire or quad. Correct??
Mike

For the moment....

[timsesink]

Originally Posted by MathewsArcher

No end date to the bans either. Anyone think it might extend through the fall?

No way it does in any likely scenario. Everything points to June.

[timsesink]

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

And pretty much no camping either. We have a few spots we like to go backpacking into that are in PLUZ, and that's now a no-go...

I think this is getting pretty extreme.

Where does it say no camping?? Just not PRA's, PP or NP's. Albeit that covers quite a bit.

[Lefty Bryan]

Guess bear season just got more interesting. The entire northern half of the province is essentially off limits.

Good thing the majority of my bait is popcorn!

[MathewsArcher]

Originally Posted by timsesink

No way it does in any likely scenario. Everything points to June.

Yeah, I see the mention April/May for the bans, which is good news. I think and hope your are right.

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by timsesink

Where does it say no camping?? Just not PRA's, PP or NP's. Albeit that covers quite a bit.

Doesn't say no camping, but for for me personally, when backpacking I need to have a fire or to me it's not worth going. Light, heat, etc.

I've gone backpacking without a fire before and its pretty miserable sitting around in the dark.

You can take those portable propane fire pits if you're vehicle camping it appears. That is, as long as we're allowed to access areas with a vehicle.

I'm all for being abundantly cautious with respect to forest fires and hazards, and especially in this COVID crises, but we've got more snow in the west country than I've seen in a number of years. Not sure how high the hazard really is at present.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by mikevv

So the way I understand it ... is a person can still camp in the white area with no camp fire or quad. Correct??
Mike

Yep. No OHV's, no fires. That's it. Camp and walk all you want

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

Doesn't say no camping, but for for me personally, when backpacking I need to have a fire or to me it's not worth going. Light, heat, etc.

I've gone backpacking without a fire before and its pretty miserable sitting around in the dark.

You can take those portable propane fire pits if you're vehicle camping it appears. That is, as long as we're allowed to access areas with a vehicle.

I'm all for being abundantly cautious with respect to forest fires and hazards, and especially in this COVID crises, but we've got more snow in the west country than I've seen in a number of years. Not sure how high the hazard really is at present.

Spring is the worst time of year, once the snow goes (and it will quick), it dries out incredibly fast in the west country. Need it to green up to reduce the fire hazard

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

Spring is the worst time of year, once the snow goes (and it will quick), it dries out incredibly fast in the west country. Need it to green up to reduce the fire hazard

Agreed. Just hope this doesn't extend to the entire summer. Having the weather turn is one of the things that's kept my frame of mind positive. Been under house arrest for five weeks so far (we were sent to work from home very early on) and I've been looking forward to getting out of the City at some point.

[Kawibunga]

For Fox Creek as they say........ going to have some disappointed boys that we can't get out on the dirt bikes....... Next thing you know they'll ban lightning due to all the forest fires they cause! And we won't be able to watch a thunder storm all summer!

[MK2750]

I sold my camper and do not own an OHV but this is absolutely ridiculous.

It amazes me in this day and age that even the authorities have no understanding of mental health. It's like the 1950s where you are to man up until some among us break.

A lack of exercise, poor diet and stress will kill you quicker than any virus let alone one where 97% of people infected have mild or no symptoms.

There is 3 feet of snow on the ground in the west country, more likely a camper bursts into flames than starting a wild fire.

Kenney is the poorest excuse for a conservative I have ever heard tell of. Running around like a freaking Liberal looking for something to govern or politicize.

The pipeline deal should have been left for a recovery announcement after the death toll has leveled off and people started back to normal. It would have picked up morale and showed the world that we are open for business. In the middle of a pandemic outbreak it was literally a waste of breath.

The PPEs and ventilators should have been sent to other Canadians without any political grandstanding and self congratulation. We would have gotten plenty of appreciation from real people suffering and those that love and care for them. People remember kindness not some idiot strutting around in a warehouse ranting on about how great and generous they are.

The more I see of him the less I like him. Typical selfish, career politician with an agenda attached to every action.

I am going fishing, hiking and hunting as per usual. Liberal law makers can see me in court.

[honda610]

I just checked the map my 2 new bear spots are not in the white....so I am good to go for now....

[Sooner]

While I don't agree with it and feel bad for the bear hunters who have bait piling up in their garages and gear ready, I see why they did it. In the year Slave Lake burnt, it was May 1st and I went to High Prairie to buy a quad for my kids. Wet wet wet conditions all the way up. Snow in the shady side of the bush, water standing everywhere.


3 weeks later the Slave lake area was burning.


I guess we will see how many fires start this year without people in the backwoods. Sure hope they don't keep us out of the woods/camping all summer and into the fall due to this virus.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by MK2750

I am going fishing, hiking and hunting as per usual. Liberal law makers can see me in court.

Nothing wrong or illegal with any of the above mentioned. Just no campfire (or quads). That's not a first

[MountainTi]

Popcorn and restaurant grease seems like the perfect bear bait this year. Nice and light to pack in

[Fwee6]

Is it essentially west of Hwy 22 (Cowboy Trail)?