People visiting Provincial Parks and using Crown Land including in the Lloydminster area will have to follow a fire ban.
The Saskatchewan Government announced the ban Tuesday night, which will apply to all Provincial Parks and Crown Land south of the Churchill River. The restrictions are on all open fires, however CSA approved, self contained gas heating equipment, barbecues and fire pits, pressurized stoves and charcoal grills will be allowed to be used for heating purposes.
Among Parks in the Lloydminster area being affected by the fire ban are Battlefords Provincial Park, Sandy Beach Regional Park, Fort Pitt Provincial Park and further north to Makwa Provincial Park.
Executive Director of Saskatchewan Wildfire Management Steve Roberts says the province is currently dealing with 15 active fires, which add to a total of 148 fires in province already just on Crown Land. He says there are quite a few areas that fall under the Crown Land distinction, and therefore also the ban.
“Crown lands are any lands managed by the Province. That would include pasture lands, provincial parks and would cover under our agreement, it would cover provincial rec sites under agreement.”
The fire ban follows suit with other communities in the Lloydminster area enacting full or partial fire bans, including North Battleford, Vermilion River County, the RM’s of Britannia, Wilton, Mervin and Frenchman Butte. Roberts says the fire ban will be in effect until a measurable impact is made through precipitation.
“It covers a larger geographic area because unfortunately that’s the way that the weather pattern, with the high pressure, is holding that hot dry weather in all areas except in the far north.”
A full list of areas with fire bans can be found for Alberta on the government’s AlbertaFireBan App or for Saskatchewan on the Government website.Â