Dry conditions prompt 17 fire bans across Alberta
Situation is worse than a year ago, official says
With 17 fire bans already declared across Alberta, a provincial forestry official said wildfire conditions are considerably worse than last year’s.
Despite a long winter with record snowfalls in some parts of the province, numerous areas, mainly in northern and central Alberta, have prohibited open fires, while several others have restricted outdoor fires.
That’s in contrast to May 2017, when conditions quickly greened up to reduce the fire threat, said Travis Fairweather, wildfire information officer for Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.
“It’s a lot drier this year. There’s a lot more fire bans and restrictions,” he said.
“If it continues, it’s definitely a sign it could be a long summer for fires, and for now, we are seeing the dangers rising and we do expect more advisories.”
Dr. Michael Flannigan, a forest researcher at the University of Alberta, agreed.
“The next three or four weeks will really determine what the rest of our fire season is like,” he said.
The prohibitions affect nine provincial parks.
Most of the driest areas are in farming and ranching zones, said Agriculture and Forestry Minister Oneil Carlier.
“It’s surprising how fast it’s dried up — a lot of underbrush hasn’t greened up yet,” Carlier said.
With 70 per cent of wildfires sparked by human activity, it’s vital that people use extreme care, he added.
Between 1970 and 2016, the amount spent on wildfire management in Alberta — adjusted for inflation — has gone to more than $500 million from $50 million.
That 2016 figure was heavily skewed by the massive Fort McMurray fire, which caused $4 billion in damage, but even in the years before that, the expenditure for wildfire prevention and suppression was nearly $400 million.
Those who study wildfires say the amount of forest charred by them has doubled since the early 1970s due to human-caused climate change and the increasing interface between humans and wilderness.
“Climate change is real ... there are a lot of variables to consider,” Carlier said.
Six years ago, the province moved the official start of the wildfire season to March 1 from April 1.
Although 2017 wasn’t severe for forest fires in Alberta, dry conditions fed a highly damaging blaze that swept through Waterton National Park, while massive, wind-driven grass fires menaced the province’s south, killing volunteer firefighter James Hargrave last October.
Provincial crews and local workers are now busy reducing the forest wildfire threat, said Fairweather.
“We’re seeing a lot of prescribed fires to ward off those hazards,” he said.
Carlier noted the province has increased three-year funding for the Fire Smart program to $15 million from $3.8 million annually.
The program reduces wildfire hazards to communities through improved forest and building management.