It's that time of year again: Fire season starts Saturday, March 1.
The start of fire season mainly affects rural county residents, as they will need permits for their open burn piles from March 1 until the end of October, said Ponoka County protective services coordinator Donna Noble.
Permits can be obtained through Ponoka County's app or their website.
Within the Town of Ponoka, the burning of leaves and garbage is never permitted.
Only clean wood may be burned in backyard fire pits, either for warming or cooking, regardless of the time of year, she said.
The only exception within town is in the industrial area where burn permits can be obtained year-round, Noble explained.
Winter winding down also means Ponoka County Regional Fire Services is also gearing up for wildfire season.
There is currently a good amount of snow cover, but with the recent warmer weather, what ground moisture will remain come springtime is yet to be seen, said Noble.
"Fingers crossed our fire season won't be as bad as the last few years but we're prepared for it," she said.
While all precipitation helps increase ground moisture levels, timing is important for the greatest benefit for preventing a dry spring and a busy wildfire season, Noble explained.
There's been a better amount of snowfall this winter than in the past few years, but there's also been quite a bit of wind that means fields could be bare.
There's been snow cover almost everyday in February, but if the warmer temperatures brings rain before the ground has thawed, it will just freeze on the surface rather than sinking in to draw the frost out, she said.
At this time of year, the county's fire departments are checking over their wildfire units and making sure they're ready to respond and preparing their new members for the upcoming season.
Every spring, Ponoka County Regional Fire Services holds a wildfire response refresher course.
The course goes over the risks inherent with wildfires, such as 'widow makers' (broken tree and falling tree limbs), wind and other hazards, as well as ways to attack wild fires.
They practice their skills, learn awareness and make sure all their recruits are confident starting pumps, operating wildland firefighting backpacks and know how to run all the specialized equipment for fighting wildfires.
The East District currently has a full contingent of firefighters, said Noble, adding a level one class is currently running now until the end of April.
It's already been a busy year, with the department responding to close to 80 calls within the first two months of 2025, said Noble.
While some of those have been false alarm calls, they're also continuing to respond to a significant number of motor vehicle collisions.
They've also been getting more outside fire calls from passersby seeing burn piles.
While in most cases the department is aware of those burns, they respond regardless and appreciate people being vigilant, said Noble.
