Above: The Forestburg and Galahad fire departments did some valuable brush burning for the Forestburg Golf Course, also turning it in to a good training opportunity. Local fire departments throughout Flagstaff have been busy training for or fighting grass fires this spring. However, fire departments aren’t the only ones who should be prepared for wildland fires, says Regional Emergency Services Coordinator Kim Cannady.

Local fire departments have had a busy start to the wildfire season, either fighting fires, or going through training sessions to ensure they have the skills and tools needed, and in some cases, doing both.

Flagstaff County Regional Emergency Services Coordinator Kim Cannady says that the latest Alberta Agriculture Fine Fuel Moisture Content maps show all of Flagstaff County, in fact most of Central Alberta, in the extreme range.

Maps of 30-day standardized precipitation show most of the county in a ‘once in six years’ stage low.

Cannady says that rumours of fires started by cigarettes are mostly false. “Most grass fires are caused by malfunctioning machinery,” he says, citing three recent separate grass fires in the county. Cannady says with today’s cigarettes, they would almost have to land perpendicular to the grass and stay that way in order to ignite.

“I don’t want people to discount cigarettes as a cause, but they often get blamed when conditions don’t make it possible.” Lightning and birds striking power lines are also common causes of wildland fire.

He says there are also some things that landowners, urban and rural, can do to lessen the damage from a wildfire.

It’s called Fire Smarting, and it’s something that everyone should do on a regular basis.

The Province agrees; a recent press release from Laura Stewart, FireSmart specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, says, “The first thing to do is walk around your property to identify wildfire risks.

“Start with the first five feet around the entire home and any attachments, such as decks.

“What combustible fuels are you keeping closest to your home? You want to keep a special eye out for things like dry leaves, grass, and twigs; firewood piles, construction materials, and patio furniture.

“Whenever possible, you want to move these items at least 10 metres from your home, or safely store them in a garage or shed.”

More than half of homes damaged or destroyed by wildfire are ignited by embers. Research has shown that structural modifications, like fire-resistant building materials, can reduce the risk of wildfire damage up to 40 per cent.

“If you’re making important structural modifications and moving those combustible fuels farther away from your home, you can reduce wildfire risk by up to 75 per cent.”

Keeping your roof clean and clear of combustible debris helps, as does upgrading to clay tile, concrete tile, metal, or asphalt shingles.

Ensure siding and vents are free from combustible debris and are in good repair.

Remove combustible debris and vegetation on, around, and under decks and other attached structures. Consider covering the underside of the deck with non-combustible sheathing, such as fibre cement board or metal screening.