The mayor of Sundre has confirmed that the town and Mountain View County remain under a fire ban, even after a neighbouring county lifted its own restrictions. Rocky View County downgraded its fire ban to an advisory for east and west Rocky View County on Sunday. However, Mountain View County continues to enforce a fire ban that was issued on Friday, following a wildfire burning approximately 35 kilometres north in Clearwater County. That fire was initially deemed out of control, prompting officials to issue an emergency alert ahead of the May long weekend.
Wildfire Status Upgraded to 'Being Held'
On Monday morning, a notice posted on the Clearwater County website announced that the fire is now classified as 'being held.' The notice stated: 'Alberta Wildfire crews and assisting agencies have made strong progress over the last 24 hours, successfully establishing a containment perimeter around the fire. Today, ground crews will continue reinforcing the dozer guard and fire lines, while also patrolling and addressing any remaining hotspots.' Despite this progress, an evacuation alert remains in place for the area.
No Immediate Threat to Sundre
Richard Warnock, mayor of Sundre, stated on Monday that there is no threat of evacuation for town residents. 'Not this far away,' he said, describing the skies as 'cloudy blue' with less smoke. 'I think that little bit of moisture kind of knocked it down,' he added. Warnock noted that the county will decide on Tuesday whether to lift the ban, but for now, it remains in place.
Details of the Fire Ban
The fire ban prohibits wood campfires on public land, in campgrounds, and on private land, including backyard fire pits. Fire permits are suspended or cancelled, and no new permits are being issued. Warnock mentioned that residents are not overly concerned, as 'they know someone is keeping an eye on things and making sure we're watching for the alerts.'
