Reading Time: < 1 minute Wildfire smoke can be a challenge to work in. Farm safety advisor group AgSafe BC has some tips for farmers and farm employees working under wildfire smoke this growing season: To learn more tips and find more resources, visit agsafebc.ca.
Don’t choke on wildfire smoke this season
How to manage a pasture after a fire
What to do after a fire burns through? Treat it like it’s been heavily grazed, experts say
Reading Time: 3 minutes Many pastures have been damaged by this year’s fires. But how long does it take a pasture to recover? What can be done for a burned pasture? “Fire is not new to most grasses and other pasture forage species,” said Barry Irving, former manager of the Roy G. Berg Kinsella ranch. In that role, Irving […] Read more
Province fast-tracks grazing approval for evacuated livestock
Lease holders can take animals now, report to authorities later
Reading Time: 3 minutes Grazing disposition holders who want to help fellow livestock producers affected by wildfires can use some recently relaxed rules. Alberta Forestry, Parks and Tourism has fast-tracked its processes to allow grazing lease, licence and permit holders to more quickly accept wildfire-displaced livestock on their land. The main condition is that key information be reported in […] Read more
Lytton wildfire has longer-term implications for rail movement
Safety board head calls it ‘a wake-up call,’ railways say they’re already taking great precautions
Reading Time: 3 minutes CP Rail has hit back at criticism that trains are a major cause of wildfires, but rail traffic will continue to be affected — at least in the short term — by the tragic events at Lytton, B.C. Two weeks after a June 30 wildfire destroyed 90 per cent of the small community and took […] Read more
Don’t let a winter burn come back to life
Stick a metal rod or stick into the ash pile to ensure the fire is well and truly out
Reading Time: 2 minutes With wildfire season underway and snow still on the ground, now is a good time to ensure your winter burns are completely extinguished. “We typically see landowners burning as they try to clear woody debris off their land and turn it to agricultural purposes. We see windrows and machine-piled brush piles that are burned in […] Read more
Award honours an ‘incredible person’ and his lasting legacy
Reading Time: 3 minutes The life and legacy of a young rancher who died while fighting a wildfire is being celebrated with an award that honours his passion and stewardship. James Hargrave, a fifth-generation rancher from Walsh and a volunteer firefighter, was just 34 when he died. On Oct. 17, 2017, he was helping to fight the massive Hilda […] Read more
More wildfires and changes in run-off a challenge for irrigation district
A lack of tree cover can boost run-off volumes but they come sooner and with much more sediment
Reading Time: 4 minutes As wildfire experts peer into the future, they see more — and more severe — forest fires because of a changing climate. But some are also looking to the past and measuring the impact that forest fires have on the quantity and quality of run-off — two factors that could have major implications for Alberta’s […] Read more
Four ways to help protect your farm from fire
Whether it’s close to home or across an ocean, fire hasn’t been far from the news this summer. This year has been average in terms of fire risk on the Prairies, says Mike Flannigan, professor of wildland fire and the director of the western partnership for wildland fire science at the University of Alberta. But[...]
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Latest Alberta wildfire info available at one website
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has a dedicated website with news and information on wildfires. The Alberta Wildfire website has a Wildfire Status map that is updated throughout the day and provides an overall look at the current wildfire situation across the province. The map also includes links to updates from the province’s 10 forest areas.[...]
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Interest-free loans for wildfire damage offered
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ranchers and farmers in Cypress County and the MD of Acadia, which were hit by wildfires in October, can now apply for interest-free rebuilding loans of up to $25,000. Applications under the Hilda Wildfire Support Loan Program will be accepted until March 31. The loans can go to fund working capital, pay expenses and/or help[...]
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