Smoke from a wildfire in Long Lake, N.S., near Kentville, moved over P.E.I. on Aug. 24. The Chronicle HeraldArticle contentA fire ban remains in place in P.E.I. as dry conditions around the province continue.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentOn Aug. 25, the P.E.I. government announced a fire ban has been extended until Sept. 8.Article contentArticle contentThat includes a ban on all fires, including campfires.Article contentCampfires and bonfires are banned, including fires on private property and at provincial parks and campgrounds. Provincial fire bans do not apply to P.E.I. National Park where a fire ban was put in place on Aug. 11.Article contentArticle contentEnvironment Minister Gilles Arsenault said it is up to every Islander to do their part.Article content“I know it has been a busy time for forestry staff, our volunteer fire departments and emergency services personnel,” Arsenault said in a news release issued on Aug. 25.Article contentDomestic brush burning, known as category 1 burns, continues to be banned. Permits are now revoked for industrial and agricultural burns, also known as category 2, 3 and 4 permits, regardless of weather conditions.Article contentFines under the Forest Fire Prevention Act are enforced while a fire closure order is in place. Fines for causing a fire can reach up to $50,000, plus victims of crime costs. Any person who causes a fire during a fire ban may be legally responsible for all damages arising from the fire.Article contentArticle contentWildfiresArticle contentAlthough P.E.I. hasn’t been hit by wildfires like the other provinces in Atlantic Canada, smoke from Nova Scotia made its way to P.E.I. on Aug. 24.Article contentArticle contentKip Ready, senior communications advisor with the Department of Justice and Public Safety, told The Guardian on Aug. 25, that the 911 office has received an increase in the number of calls since the onset of wildfires in neighbouring jurisdictions.Article content“We do encourage discretion when contacting 911 regarding the smell of smoke,” Ready said in an email, adding that the province appreciates the diligence of Islanders. “All live fires and-or large clouds of smoke should be reported to 911.”Article contentAlexandra Cournoyer, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, told The Guardian on Aug. 25, that the smoke Islanders are smelling is from wildfires burning in the Annapolis Valley.Article content“It’s a situation right now that is quite dynamic,” Cournoyer said in a telephone interview from Montreal, Que. “The area covered by the wildfire is not huge. By that I mean it is not multiple wildfires burning a good amount of the province as we have in the Prairies.”
Fire ban has been extended to Sept. 8 in P.E.I.
