Municipality enacts Fire Ban in Fort McMurray, in alignment with Provincial Fire Ban

OHV use prohibited on Abasand roads during Fire Ban; Conditions extremely dry  

A Fire Ban is now in place for the Urban Service Area of Fort McMurray. The Municipal Fire Ban has been implemented to align with the Government of Alberta’s Fire Ban in effect for the entire province.

The current conditions are extremely dry, elevating the wildfire risk. For everyone’s safety, please review the details of the Fire Bans and ensure all rules are followed.   

Fire Bans

The fire bans apply to fires throughout the entire region and includes:

• Outside fires of any type
• Open-air fires
• Recreational fires contained within a portable or fixed fire pit (including backyard fire pits)
• Fireworks
• Charcoal barbeques

The use of propane and natural gas appliances, such as barbecues and portable heaters are allowed.

OHV use prohibited on Abasand roads  

Under the Municipal Outdoor Fire Bylaw, an OHV restriction is in effect for the Urban Service Area of Fort McMurray once a Municipal Fire Ban is enacted. This means OHVs cannot be driven on Abasand roads while the ban is in place. OHV use is not allowed in any other areas in the Urban Service Area of Fort McMurray regardless of whether a Fire Ban is in effect or not.

There is no Provincial OHV Restriction in effect at this time. OHV use is still allowed in the backcountry and in areas outside of Fort McMurray. OHV riders in Fort McMurray can access these areas through the designated staging areas.

Serious fines and penalties for not following Fire Ban

If an emergency fire response is required, the person responsible for the fire can be charged the full firefighting costs. The fine under the municipal Outdoor Fire Bylaw for burning during a fire ban is $1,200. There are additional fines in this bylaw and from the Government of Alberta for not following the conditions of Fire Bans.

Stay Informed

For more details on fire restrictions and bans, visit albertafirebans.ca To report a wildfire, call 310-FIRE (3473).

For more information on the status of wildfires and updates from Alberta Wildfire, visit wildfire.alberta.ca. or download the AB Wildfire App.

For more information or questions about the Municipal Fire Ban, contact Pulse at 780-743-7000, toll-free at 1-800-973-9663 or online at rmwb.ca/pulse.

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