UPDATE: Fire bans in the town of Turtleford and the R.M. of Mervin have been lifted.
A fire ban has been issued for the R.M. of Mervin and the town of Turtleford. The R.M. says there shall be no open fires due to the very dry conditions with low humidity. The ban will last until conditions improve and the R.M. council determines the ban can be lifted.
The ban includes fireworks, burning barrels, smudge, recreational fires and propane fire pits with an open flame higher than 2 inches. The municipality says it will aggressively pursue recovery from individuals who light fires during a ban. Permitted uses include propane, gas, briquette and wood pellet barbecues, patio heaters, completely enclosed wood pellet-fueled fire pits, tabletop propane heaters and propane heaters with a maximum flame height of 2 inches.