Albertans reminded wildfire season begins March 1

Wildfire season begins March 1 andthe province is reminding Albertansto help prevent devastating forest fires like2016'sFort McMurray wildfire.

Minister of Agriculture and ForestryOneil Carliermade the announcement at a newsconference Wednesday in Edmonton.

The start of the fire season has traditionally been April 1.

Last year it started on March 1, but that was under a ministerial order issued after a mild and dry winter.

Now, the amended Forest and Prairie Protection Act stipulates that the fire season begins March 1 and runs until Oct. 31.

"We have made that legislative change because over the past few years winters have been drier," Carlier said.

The minister said human activity caused60 per cent of Alberta's wildfires last year.

"Last year we saw tragically what a wildfire that was likely human caused can do to a community," Carlier said. "The way that a wildfire burned into Fort McMurraywas the result of extreme early spring conditions."

The province suspects humans caused last year's Fort McMurray wildfire.

It destroyed more than 2,400 homes andprompted one of Canada's largest evacuations. The fire, which is still smoldering, covered589,552 hectares of forest.

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In total last year in Alberta, wildfires burned more than 611,000 hectares of forest.

March 1 is when improvements to the Forest and Prairie Protection Act take effect.

How to spot fire risks on an ATV

8 years ago

Duration 0:47

Alberta wildfire information officer Travis Fairweather describes how grass and debris on an ATV can ignite a wildfire.

The government has increased penalties for abandoning campfires or burning during fire bans.Carlier said the changes to the actrestrict "higher-risk activities" such as fireworks and ATV rides in forested areas.

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Alberta wildfire information officer Travis Fairweather and his staff demonstrated how an ATV's engine can get so hot it ignites dry grass. Fairweather said these sparks can easily spread to dry bush or forest.

"It's important for Albertans to know it doesn't matter what the manufacturers do,"Fairweather said, "They're still going to have to clean that debris off and keep the quads clean."