Forest closures being announced

[LKILR]

Originally Posted by Full Curl Earl

Well, looks like the minister lifted the OHV'S ban! Weird they have not lifted the no entry one. Lol
http://wildfire.alberta.ca/wildfire-...al-orders.aspx

So ohv are allowed? Just no people to ride them?

[Don_Parsons]

We've had some good rains and chilly weather up our way.

Harvest season started off hot and dry, right the opposite now as we start our mornings under the cover of darkness dressed in winter gear.

Dam near froze my thumbs off the other morning.

We heard rumours they seen snow in the Jasper area, but we're S/E a few ranges from there.

Best of luck at getting underway for you folks down south, thanks for keeping us in the loop as our only link to the outside world is our cold frozen dumb phones.

Dam is it damp and chilly up again.

West lands Don

[ram crazy]

It was snowing in the Elk Valley area last night.

[KBF]

Originally Posted by LKILR

So ohv are allowed? Just no people to ride them?

Is 1 not Pollhaven community pasture. Its been closed for 2 summers now. Or did the goverment not know about this.? Sorry a different topic I know.

[matt1984]

I called in today, and it sounds like they manage forest areas 1-3 together. So Indian Graves and porcupine hills aren't opening until Castle does. Which will not be anytime soon with the fire going on down there.

I hope I'm wrong, because that doesn't seem to make much sense. They're a long ways away from each other.

[boah]

Originally Posted by matt1984

I called in today, and it sounds like they manage forest areas 1-3 together. So Indian Graves and porcupine hills aren't opening until Castle does. Which will not be anytime soon with the fire going on down there.

I hope I'm wrong, because that doesn't seem to make much sense. They're a long ways away from each other.

Hmmmm, weird. They seemed to be able to close the castle area BEFORE they closed the porkies.

[Full Curl Earl]

Well, 1-5 is open for OHV's now, according to the Minister.Or has there been a new release?

[MathewsArcher]

Originally Posted by Full Curl Earl

Well, looks like the minister lifted the OHV'S ban! Weird they have not lifted the no entry one. Lol
http://wildfire.alberta.ca/wildfire-...al-orders.aspx

Looks like the order rescinding Order 27 (OHV) has been removed and replaced by an order removing the fire ban (Order 30)???????

[jrileyw]

Yes they have removed the OHV restrictions in all areas. But the Area Closures are still in effect. All roads are still man'd 24 hours to stop the public from accessing as well as patrolled by helicopter/plane.

[dewalt18]

Originally Posted by jrileyw

Yes they have removed the OHV restrictions in all areas. But the Area Closures are still in effect. All roads are still man'd 24 hours to stop the public from accessing as well as patrolled by helicopter/plane.

So, I'm just a bit confused by this. OHV's are allowed back in, but people aren't?

[Full Curl Earl]

And so it looks like its all lifted, North of Hwy 3 at least and West.
http://www.emergencyalert.alberta.ca...7/09/4577.html
If you had a print off of the ministers orders as well as the following, you should be fine. It is of course completely possible those manning the roadblocks do not know this yet.

[Argentus]

Let me see if I have this straight:

• MO 26 was the OHV ban for Zones 1-5 and the parts of 6 and 7 South of the Red Deer River.
  
• MO 27 was the Fire Ban for Zones 1-5 and the parts of 6 and 7 South of the Red Deer River.
  
• MO 29 was the Access Ban for Zones 1-3.
  
• MO 30 was the Fire Ban for the parts of 6 and 7 North of the Red Deer River and Zones 8-11.
  
• MO 31 revokes 30, so there is no longer a Fire Ban in the parts of 6 and 7 North of the Red Deer River and Zones 8-11.
  
• There is NO MO 32.
  
• MO 33 amends MO 26 and 27 to say Zones 1-3 instead of Zones 1-5 and the parts of 6 and 7 South of the Red Deer River.

That makes it sound like the Fire Ban and OHV Ban are still in effect in Zones 1-3 (only), so you can light fires and drive OHVs in Zones 4 and 5 now but still not in Zones 1-3 where you're also still not allowed to go.

That is, unless you managed to print a copy of MO 31 this morning, when it said it revoked MO 26.

And, the Emergency Alert link above says the closure is no longer in effect.

And albertafirebans.ca's Calgary Area Update still shows the fire ban from the Red Deer to the 532, but it no longer appears on their map.

How hard can it possibly be for them to coordinate this kind of communication?

[Full Curl Earl]

I read it as his correction was that not all 1-5 was re-opened, only 1,2 and 3, but it sure isn't clear. This shouldn't be that difficult. These are the folks were trusting our safety to people!

[Full Curl Earl]

Originally Posted by Argentus

Let me see if I have this straight:

• MO 26 was the OHV ban for Zones 1-5 and the parts of 6 and 7 South of the Red Deer River.
  
• MO 27 was the Fire Ban for Zones 1-5 and the parts of 6 and 7 South of the Red Deer River.
  
• MO 29 was the Access Ban for Zones 1-3.
  
• MO 30 was the Fire Ban for the parts of 6 and 7 North of the Red Deer River and Zones 8-11.
  
• MO 31 revokes 30, so there is no longer a Fire Ban in the parts of 6 and 7 North of the Red Deer River and Zones 8-11.
  
• There is NO MO 32.
  
• MO 33 amends MO 26 and 27 to say Zones 1-3 instead of Zones 1-5 and the parts of 6 and 7 South of the Red Deer River.

That makes it sound like the Fire Ban and OHV Ban are still in effect in Zones 1-3 (only), so you can light fires and drive OHVs in Zones 4 and 5 now but still not in Zones 1-3 where you're also still not allowed to go.

That is, unless you managed to print a copy of MO 31 this morning, when it said it revoked MO 26.

And, the Emergency Alert link above says the closure is no longer in effect.

And albertafirebans.ca's Calgary Area Update still shows the fire ban from the Red Deer to the 532, but it no longer appears on their map.

How hard can it possibly be for them to coordinate this kind of communication?

Or the mysterious disappearance of Ministerial Order 32/2017.
What a shady operation, lol.

[dshaw]

So i'm still confused. Whats open and whats not?

[Full Curl Earl]

I'm lost now, wish I had the answer. Calling a local office will end in more confusion unfortunately.

[KBF]

What a wreck. I went back and read those ministerial orders and I know there has been wording and some changes that are there now, were not earlier today.

Which one was th OHV ban? I don't see it now.

My mistake. 27#

[dewalt18]

So. . . I can bird hunt 304 this weekend? Not that I'm surprised, but I can't wrap my head around what our current government is trying to say

[jrileyw]

Last that was explained was, no you cannot be hunting behind the area closures from Hwy 532 south to the Montana border. As of yet but who knows.

[Full Curl Earl]

Who explained this?

[matt1984]

I called in this morning to get some clarity. Apparently, you can have fires and quads north of Highway 532. But south of it, they won't even let you walk in to any of the forestry still. There was snow in the porcupine Hills yesterday morning, but they are managing that area of the same as the castle. And they are saying weeks to months to put out the hotspots from that fire. It's a complete joke.

[Full Curl Earl]

Thanks Matt, who did you call? The ministers order does not have it as such and that's the only way to close it for access. I agree it can take a long time to get all the hotspots, but that's always the case and closures don't have anything to do with mop up. Appreciate the info.

[matt1984]

I called 1-866-394-3473, its the alberta firebans line. If you go to the below link there is a map with yesterdays updated ministerial orders. You can see that they classify everything south of 532 as zone 2. So even though areas like the porcupine hills forestry are 150km away and could be covered in snow, they are treating it the same as the south castle which is on fire. Hence, we aren't allowed to walk on. But 30meters north across the road you can have a fire.

http://wildfire.alberta.ca/wildfire-...Sep14-2017.pdf

[dewalt18]

Well that's frustrating. Thanks for the legwork and the update Matt

[Full Curl Earl]

That Ministerial order only has to do with No fires or OHV's, nothing to do with access. But the person you spoke with arbitrarily added no entry for people?

[matt1984]

Originally Posted by Full Curl Earl

That Ministerial order only has to do with No fires or OHV's, nothing to do with access. But the person you spoke with arbitrarily added no entry for people?

Yes, I specifically asked and they confirmed and referred me to the albertafirebans website which shows a full forest closure. I just added the link to show how they are managing the area.

[dewalt18]

Seems to me that it would be sensible to extend zone 3 slightly east, and re open the north section of zone 2. Quite a difference in weather, topography, and forest between the north part of two, and the south.

[dewalt18]

Just sent off an email to Bruce Mayer regarding this (the name given on the ministerial order). You all should do the same

bruce.mayer@gov.ab.ca

[Full Curl Earl]

Yes good post, I did yesterday as well.

[Freddy]

The ohv ban and access ban in southern bc as well with exception of a couple areas.
http://www.summit107.com/news/east-k...-100-pm-Friday.
The evacuation notice for Sparwood and Elkford has been rescinded as well.

This may effect aep decision to allow access again as well.