County of St. Paul Fire Departments, Emergency Services & Safety
Effective 1:00 PM, Friday May 26, 2023, the County of St. Paul is under a Fire Restriction.
The Fire Restriction reads as follows:
1. Safe campfires are allowed in campgrounds and other areas only with approved pits. Pits should be constructed of non-combustible material, and a spark arrester or metal guard should be in place while in use.
2. No open fires are allowed within the County. I.e. brush piles, grassfield
3. No new burn permits will be issued, and all existing permits continue to be cancelled.
We ask everyone to enjoy themselves responsibly, and to ensure their campfires are attended to at all times and completely extinguished when finished.
If you have any questions, you may direct enquiries to the County of St. Paul at 780-645-3301 or St. Paul Fire Services at 780-645-4100.
Link to Fire Advisory System - what it means, what is allowed/not allowed
ATV USE
The County would encourage ATV owners to act responsibly as it it still dry in some areas of the County.
Many of the fires we have been fighting in the past weeks have been due to sparks from ATV’s.
If ATV use is necessary, riders should be prepared/equipped to put out fires that result from sparks originating from their ATV.
The County would also like to encourage any landowners that had burned brush during the winter season to monitor these areas as many of them have relit due to the windy conditions in the area.
How and When to Contact the St. Paul RCMP Detachment
FireSmart Home Assessment - Free!
This summer, keep your rural home and property safe. Property owners in the County of St. Paul can get a free FireSmart Home Assessment.
Are your gutters and the roof free of debris? That’s just one issue around your home that’s looked at by trained assessors in about thirty minutes.
You’ll receive an easy-to-understand report … And peace of mind.
Contact Deputy Fire Chief Henry Thomson at 780-645-4100 to book your free FireSmart Home Assessment in the County of St. Paul.
FireSmart Begins at Home Manual
Seeking On-Call Volunteer Firefighters
Our communities are protected by dedicated teams of volunteer firefighters.
Volunteer Fire Departments are key teams that improve community safety.
The Ashmont and Mallaig Fire Departments are recruiting Firefighters to assist with emergency situations in our communities.
If you are interested in accepting this interesting and important challenge, see this link for information and who to contact.
The County of St. Paul is supported by the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority who is proud to offer members of the Deaf, Deafened, Hard of Hearing and Speech Impaired (DHHSI) Community for a new text with 9-1-1 service. This service provides easier access for DHHSI community members to communicate with emergency services.
View the media release for more information.
Wildfire Prevention Tips
When there is snow on the ground, wildfires are probably the last thing on your mind, but you can still reduce the threat of wildfire for the coming winter and spring.
Source: Farm and Acreage - A Guide to Reducing the Risk of From Wildfire
(Alberta Government, FireSmart)
Learn how you can protect your home
and property from wildfires.
Download the FireSmart App
How safe is your home and property from wildfires?
Prune Tree Branches
Trim Branches that are over the roof
Move patio furniture
Clean the gutters
Move materials away from stationary propane tanks
Space evergreen trees
Clear the ground around your home
Mow grass and weeds
Clear fence lines
Sign Up for Emergency Alerts
We would encourage to residents to sign up for Alberta Emergency Alert. Community emergency information will be provided through this system.
Firefighting
Our communities are protected by dedicated teams of volunteer firefighters.
Become a Volunteer Firefighter
Each department has weekly volunteer practice nights that any newcomer interested in volunteering is welcome to join. For more information on contact location and more, please see the regional fire departments listing below.
Fire/Burn Permits
Effective 1:00 PM, Friday May 26, 2023, the County of St. Paul is under a Fire Restriction. The Fire Restriction reads as follows:
3. No new burn permits will be issued, and all existing permits continue to be cancelled.
We ask everyone to enjoy themselves responsibly,
and to ensure their campfires are attended to at all times and completely extinguished when finished.
If you have any questions, you may direct enquiries to the County of St. Paul at 780-645-3301 or St. Paul Fire Services at 780-645-4100.
SUSPENDED UNDER FIRE RESTRICTION -- Fire permits for the County of St. Paul are now issued online.
This means that residents no longer need to visit the County Administration Office or the Town of Elk Point Office for a fire permit.
How to Apply
Sign Up
You will need an email.
Apply for a Fire Permit
You will need information including property owner information and the land location.
Step by Step Instructions
An approved fire permit will be emailed to you. You can check the status of your application
through this link that was used to apply for the fire permit.
Once submitted, the application for a permit will be reviewed within 1 business day.
Please plan ahead. Applications are not reviewed on weekends or statutory holidays.
County of St. Paul recognizes that within the municipal boundaries of the County, residents and visitors may want to ignite an open-air fire. The County also recognizes that is necessary to establish guidelines for issuing
fire restrictions and fire bans to regulate open-air fires.
The County has established a clear guide under the Fire Systems Activities Policy for levels of fire activity
restrictions within its borders.
Here are 4 important things to know to manage the risk of fires getting out of control.
The County of St. Paul would like to stress that landowners who are issued Fire Permits, must contact the Bonnyville 911 Dispatch Service prior to igniting their fire at 780-826-7446.
All approved fires by Permit are subject to Provincial or local Fire Bans, declared upon the threat of a fire hazard to the citizens or property within the boundaries of the County of St. Paul.
Fires must be attended at all times and should be completely extinguished before they are left unattended. County residents with burn barrels are reminded that they can be a problem in spring conditions and a spark-arresting screen must be in place.
Any brush piles that were ignited over the winter, should be checked to ensure that they are completely extinguished and that there is no danger of a ground fire starting.
Regional Fire Departments
For specific information and contact for each regional fire department please see the list below.
2022 Fire Calls include medical assists, motor vehicle collisions, rubbish fires, structure fires, vehicle fires, and more:
Ashmont: 51 calls
Elk Point: 100 calls (as of November 30, 2022)
Mallaig: 31 calls
St. Paul 215 calls
2022 Firefighter of the Year
Fire Service Exemplary Metals
Firefighter Paul Jean (right photo) and Assistant Fire Chief Ben Burton both received the Fire Service Exemplary Medal at the Department’s Annual Awards Presentations on January 20th, 2023. The Fire Services Exemplary Medal recognizes members of the Canadian Fire Services who have served a minimum of 20 years, of which 10 years have been served in the performance of duties involving high risks. It is just not a given that everyone who serves 20 years will receive this recognition. Assisting in the presentations were Mayor Maureen Miller from the Town of St. Paul, Reeve Glen Ockerman from the County of St. Paul,
and Fire Chief Kotowich. Congratulations to both members.
Ashmont Fire Department
Fire Chief:
James Preston
780-210-5161
Deputy Fire Chief:
Wendell Baerg
780-614-5791
Address:
59413 RR 113
Ashmont, AB T0A 0C0
Please join us at our volunteer practice on every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month.
Elk Point Fire Department
Fire Chief:
Bryce Osinchuk
Deputy Fire Chief:
Todd Wilkins
Address:
7 Railway Ave.
Elk Point, AB T0A 1A0
Please join us at our weekly volunteer practice night on Monday's at 7:00 pm.
St. Paul Fire Department
Fire Chief:
Trevor Kotowich
780-645-4100
Deputy Fire Chief:
Henry Thomson
780-645-4100
Address:
5101 50 St.
St. Paul, AB T0A 3A1
Volunteer practice happens every Friday night.
Mallaig Fire Department
Fire Chief:
Raymond Brousseau
780-614-0772
Deputy Fire Chiefs:
Justin L'Heroux
780-815-1049
Cody Bodnar
780-645-0316
Address:
Mallaig, AB
Please join us at our volunteer practice on every 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month.
Personal Property Insurance and Fire Coverage - Residents, should check their insurance policies regarding fire coverage.
The rates the County charges to residents for Fire Calls are as per the Alberta Transportation Fee Schedule and the County's Bylaw 2021.08 (see below).
It is now Wildfire Season and all indications are that the spring and summer will be dry. Please ensure that your property has proper insurance coverage.
| Type of Fire Call | Fees | |
|---|---|---|
| False Alarm | 1st Response 2nd Response 3rd Response 4th Response and Subsequent Response | No Charge $100 $200 $300 |
| Resets every calendar year | ||
| Fire Call for County Resident | First 2 hours on scene Over 2 hours on scene | No Charge Charged at 50% of Alberta Transportation Rates per hour per piece of equipment. Maximum bill to be $5,000 |
| Fire Call for County Resident Open Burning (no permit) or Burning during a Fire Restriction or Fire Ban | 1 hours minimum ($630) plus any additional time spent changed as per Alberta Transportation Rate Fee Schedule, per piece of equipment on scene. Charged from the time fire equipment leave the hall until equipment is back in service. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact
If you have an Fire related question we invite you to contact the County of St. Paul using the contact information found on this page.
Contact Information
JASON STORCH, Director, Community Services
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 780-645-3001 ext. 1204
Address:
5015 - 49 Avenue
St. Paul, AB T0A 3A4
Regular Hours:
8:30am - 4:30pm
Closed for lunch from 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Closed all Statutory Holidays
Bylaw Enforcement Officer
TAMMY GODDU, Bylaw Enforcement Officer
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 780-201-6777
