Wildfire Season started March 1

Make sure to check out these online resources for knowledge of the current state of affairs and for developing your Emergency Response Plan:

• Alberta Wildfire Status Maps - As of today, all wildfires in the province are under control. One can subscribe through the Wildfire App to instantaneously get alerts of the changing status of the wildfires for the area you are in. 

• Alberta Emergency Alerts - Download the app and sign up for the alerts on your phone. Note: researchers may be prevented by the government to go into an area where an evacuation order is in place. In fact, there could be roadblocks set up preventing you to travel through. 

• Ministerial Orders - There haven't been any ministerial orders issued so far but researchers should check this site before going out to make sure they are aware of the current orders which may place restrictions on their operations. 

• Fire Danger Map for the province - For northeastern Alberta right now the dangers are moderate to high but it is very early in the season and this should be monitored while in the field. 

• Alberta Fire Bans - Researchers should be checking this site regularly but they can also find out contact numbers of wildfire management offices in their area for further information.

• Environment Canada Public Weather Alerts This includes Air Quality warnings. These should be monitored as part of your control for weather hazards.

• 511 Road Reports - Check the maps before heading out, looking for road closures and at the webcams for visibility issues, also putting a planned route of travel to and from your site into your FAP is recommended. 

Updates on Domestic & International Research Protocols during COVID-19 

Please keep up to date by following the weekly updates provided by the Public Health Response Team (PHRT). Here’s the latest one issued on April 16, 2021.

PHRT has approved approximately 100 off-campus/field research activities since January 1, 2021. Please see this page setting out the steps for approval. When looking at your Field Activity Plans, PHRT will only focus on your COVID-19 hazard assessment and controls. Principal Investigators are ultimately responsible for the content of the Field Activity Plans. 

For international travel (both off-campus/field research activities and business travel), please see this page that provides important information and steps for approval during COVID-19. Please see this page for further information on how to obtain necessary insurance and reduce your risks associated with international travel. 

Hazards to be aware of when working outdoors 

Many field researchers will agree that one of the best parts of the job is being outside especially on those sunny Alberta days. For any outdoor work area, ultraviolet radiation may be present. The ultraviolet radiation from sunlight must be assessed and controlled as per Part 2 of the Alberta OHS Code. This includes hazard identification, assessment and control. Below is a great CCOHS.ca infographic and resource to post at your field site or keep handy in your field truck as a reminder to workers. 

Not only should researchers identify sun exposure as a hazard but they should also be identifying the hazard of heat stress in the spring or summer months when working outside. Please see HSE's Program for Heat Stress for excellent information on how to control this hazard.