Fire Services

Westlock County Fire Services consists of five fire departments located within Westlock County. Within the Protective Services Department, Fire Services has one full-time Regional County Fire Chief, five District Fire Chiefs and approximately 75 paid on call fire fighters. Members are continually training to improve their skills. Westlock County emergency services are delivered within the county border serving all ratepayers. In the event of an emergency, please call 911 for dispatch of our nearest fire department listed below.

Hall 1 – Fawcett Fire Department

Hall 2 – Jarvie Fire Department

Hall 4 – Clyde Rural Fire Department

Hall 5 – Pickardville Fire Department

Hall 6 – Busby Fire Department

The County funds the entire operation with assistance in the way of fund raising by the members within their departments, donations; each department has a fire hall, fire unit(s) and equipment. Westlock County Fire Services strives to provide our residents with safety education; including fire prevention information and fire smart training. We are proud of our child education program, which offers the traveling “Glenn Latimer” fire safety house that travels to schools and different events within the County.

Fire Services Key Contacts

John Biro

Manager of Protective Services

780-307-0530

Email John

Faye Doblanko

Protective Services Coordinator

780-307-0579

Email Faye

Emergency: 911

Westlock County Fire 780-349-3346

For more information, view the Fire Protection Bylaw

Recruitment

Join our team!! If you want to help people, work well with others, enjoy learning and are physically fit, you may be an ideal candidate as a volunteer with the Westlock County Fire Services.

Minimum Requirements

A valid class 5 Driver’s License and submit a current driver’s abstract with application.
Obtain a security clearance including vulnerable sector check from the RCMP.
Be able physically fit and able to perform duties as part of fire fighting.
Be able to obtain the required levels of training when courses are available.
Be available for 75% of practices

Please contact Westlock County Protective Services for more information.

If you are interested in joining Westlock County Fire Services, complete the application below and return to:

Westlock County Administrative Office

10336 106 Street

Westlock, Alberta

T7P 2G1

Westlock County Fire Application Package

Fire Advisory Notice

Watch the Alberta Fire Bans website for information on fire restrictions.

Always know your location and Dial 911 for any emergency!

NOTICE: UPDATED FIRE BAN IN EFFECT MAY 7, 2025.

Due to the forecasted warm temperatures along with dry and windy conditions, Westlock County Council is issuing a FIRE BAN effective immediately.

The Fire Ban prohibits any open fires which includes all recreational fires on private and public lands, burn barrels (non-certified incinerators), fireworks, exploding targets, and charcoal briquette barbeques.

All existing fire permits are suspended, or cancelled, and any fires presently burning must be extinguished. Anyone who has conducted open burning during the winter is reminded to check their burn site to ensure piles are completely extinguished to reduce the risk of a spring holdover fire.

No new permits will be issued.

Prohibited: Target Shooting for recreational purposes, is prohibited on all Public Land located within Westlock County Jurisdiction.

Prohibited: The operation of any off-highway vehicle, for recreational purposes, is prohibited on all Public Land located within Westlock County Jurisdiction.

This Order does not apply to the use of any off-highway vehicle:

a. on private lands; or

b. by any individual when exercising a right recognized and affirmed under Part II of the Constitution Act, 1982 or a right under section 12 of the Natural Resources Transfer Agreement or when travelling to a location to exercise such a right.

Note: Residents who live or travel in the forest fire protection area zone 44 must adhere to provincial ban and Refer to Alberta Fire Control Zone Map.

https://wildfire.alberta.ca/.../FireControlZonesMap-May03...

Allowed:

Propane or natural gas-powered appliances for cooking and warming purposes are permitted.

Check out https://albertafirebans.ca/ for up to date information.

Fire Permit Application

The Fire Permit Program allows the Westlock County Fire Services to take a proactive approach to fire safety and education.

All residents must have a fire permit before conducting open burning (please see Fire Protection Bylaws for more information).
Permits can be applied for online or by contacting a Fire Guardian.
Approval to conduct open burning will need to be completed by the registered property owner for insurance purpose.
Fire permits are issued year round within Westlock County boundaries.

The northern portion of Westlock County is a Forest Protection Area (as outlined in North of orange border or referred to as the Green Zone) Fire permits in this area must be obtained by contacting Lac la Biche Forest Area at 780-623-5388 following Provincial Regulations.

Online Fire Permit Application available here!

Fire Protection Bylaw (#56-2024).pdf

Other Permit Applications

Fireworks Application

In addition to the Online Fire Permit application, before fireworks are purchased, a Purchase and Discharge Application Form (available here) must be completed.

NOTE: Low Hazard Family Fireworks are prohibited without permits and will not be issued in populated areas, due to disturbance and safety (Community Events are Exempt with Special Previsions).

Fireworks Safety Tips - Canada Safety Council

See Online Permit Application

Peat Burning Application

Applications for Fire Permits for burning Peat must be made on or before March 31st in a given calendar year. Fire Permits authorizing Peat burning shall only be issued between July 1st and August 31st. Must be done in person at the County Office.

Fire Guardians

Free FireSmart Assessments

Westlock County residents and businesses are invited to sign up for a free FireSmart Assessment.

FireSmart Assessments can reduce the risk of wildfires on private property and the surrounding community.

As part of the assessment process, a member of Regional Fire Services:

Fire Members will attend your property to check for wildfire hazards on the exterior of buildings and surrounding property,
Provides a customized, detailed report with findings from the assessment,
Provides practical tips to make your property safer from the risk of wildfires

Assessments could take up to two hours to complete, depending on area and the property owner is recommended to be present during the assessment.

Once the property owner completes mitigation work on their property, they can schedule to have a follow-up assessment completed by Regional Fire Service.

Yield to Green Lights

Seconds Count for First Responders

In rural and smaller urban areas, volunteers, often respond to emergencies in private vehicles. Seconds can count in a any emergency situation and any time lost enroute can make the difference.

Please Yield to Green Lights Flashing

When you see a flashing GREEN LIGHT, please be courteous and yield the right-of-way. A Flashing Green Light gives the firefighters no special privileges when responding to an emergency. It is used as an identifier to the other drivers so that they may give up their right-of-way and allow Firefighters to get to emergencies.

Fire Safety Resources

Most fires and fire deaths in Canadian homes are caused by cooking or smoking:

Seniors aged 75 years and older have the highest risk of dying in home fires.
Thirty per cent of all fires involved homes and 67 per cent of all fire deaths happened in homes.
Most home fires occur in one- and two-family dwellings, and this partly reflects their higher proportion in the housing stock.
Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home-fire injuries.
Kitchens are the leading area of origin for home fires (22 per cent) and civilian home fire injuries (29 per cent).
Just eight per cent of home fires started in the living room/family room; these fires caused 33 per cent of home fire deaths and 17 per cent of home fire injuries.
Nine per cent of reported home fires started in the bedroom. These fires caused 20 per cent of home fire deaths and 21 per cent of home-fire injuries.
Smoking is the leading cause of home fire deaths.

Information source: http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/statisticsbysubject/Demography/PopulationEstimates.aspx

Ken Moon	780-915-9850	South/ Central
Roy Forbes	780-349-0139	North
Raegan Moon	780-206-6670	South/Central