Staff reporter
With little precipitation including virtually no snowfall in the past number of weeks, a fire ban that was lifted on Oct. 31 has been re-imposed by Lacombe County effective Nov. 17.
According to a statement released by the county, the ban includes fire pits, burning barrels and campfires and stipulates that no burning of any kind will be permitted.
“Due to extreme wind and dry conditions, a county-wide total fire ban has been imposed for Lacombe County,” the statement read. “In addition, the ban requires that all outdoor fires presently burning, including burning barrels, be extinguished.”
The county went on to add that the ban does not include fires which are contained in cooking and heating appliances that are fuelled by solid or liquid fuels such as charcoal briquettes, propane and natural gas and further exempts fires contained in industrial facilities or on their sites that have been approved by a forest officer.
“Burnable material will continue to be accepted at waste transfer stations in the county during this ban,” the statement continued. “A person who sets a fire which is not permitted under this ban will be responsible for the costs of extinguishing the fire pursuant to Lacombe County policy and may be charged under the Forest and Prairie Protection Act.”
The ban will continue until further notice.