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Safe burning practices are always in season. If winter fires aren’t fully extinguished, they can burn underground as holdover fires and re‑emerge in the spring as wildfires. Take time to prepare your burn site, understand the requirements, and know how to properly extinguish your burn to prevent re‑ignition.
What is a Holdover Fire?
A holdover fire is a fire that continues to burn underground, even when snow and cold temperatures appear to have extinguished surface flames. These fires may have no visible smoke and can reignite in warm, windy spring conditions.
Why It Matters
Holdover fires have the potential to develop into wildfires that may have serious impacts on Parkland County residents, homes and businesses. You may be held legally responsible for damages caused by fires that start on your property.
If you burned brush piles this winter, whether permitted or not, please check them immediately. Steps to prevent a holdover fire:
Walk the burn area and roll debris to expose hidden embers
Use a probe to check for underground heat
Stir debris and apply water thoroughly
Monitor wind conditions and reinspect often
If smoke or heat reappears, extinguish immediately and call for help if needed
Before burning, ensure smoke warning signs are in place within 1/2 KM (500m) of a Primary or Secondary highway. For more information on smoke management and to acquire signs, contact our Customer Service team. A $150 deposit is required for each sign, please call ahead to ensure signs are in stock.
Read over the Recommended Practices for placement and instruction of a “Smoke Ahead” sign.
Have someone monitoring the burn the entire time – if it escapes, immediately call 911
Only burn what you can control with the equipment and people you have available and adjust your burning according to weather conditions
Build it right. Brush piles or debris windrows should be free of soil, with a fireguard or cleared land around it to stop the spread of fire
Spread remaining material within the pile and soak with water
Check the area and ensure both heat and smoke are no longer being produced by the pile – it should be cool to the touch
Check your burn site multiple times in the following weeks to ensure it has not reignited
Refrain from burning when an inversion* is in place or is forecast
Monitor weather conditions: lower temperatures and lighter wind speeds can result in stronger inversions
Actively manage burn projects to reduce disposal time and smoke impacts
Burning debris in stages will allow you to adapt to changing weather conditions and reduce smoke
The ideal conditions for burning are typically days with average temperatures and wind speeds over 5 km/h
Ensure good snow cover in the burn area (more than 15 cm)
*Temperature inversions occur when a layer of warm air traps cool air near the Earth’s surface. Since warm air rises, air under the inversion cannot escape because it is cooler than air higher up. Smoke and pollution get trapped near the ground. This is the inverse of what normally happens.
Contact Us
Parkland County Centre
53109A HWY 779, Parkland County, AB T7Z 1R1
General Office: 780-968-8888
Toll Free: 1-888-880-0858
After hours: 780-968-8400
Email: hello@parklandcounty.com
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