Alberta government says wildfire count continues to increase, fire bans to be introduced

The Alberta government said it continues to see a higher than normal wildfire risk and activity at this time of year, with several new wildfire starts since last week. Over the past week, Alberta had several active wildfires classified as out of control at various points in time. “We must all do our part to prevent human-caused wildfires and protect our communities and forests in the coming weeks,” said Alberta Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen at a Wednesday press conference. “Protecting the lives of Albertans has always been and will continue to be our number one priority.” Loewen encouraged people to download the Alberta government’s apps related to wildfires, as they provide the latest details to keep them informed. If people would prefer to look them up on their desktops, he said that works fine. In the last week, certain communities received evacuation orders. Alberta Wildfire is working with these municipalities to contain and suppress these wildfires before they lead to evacuations. Loewen said the government “will continue to co-ordinate with local authorities, and we strongly urge you to stay vigilant and follow all local advisories should they occur.” At the moment, he said Albertans have done an excellent job at responding to the wildfires and the government will be bringing in more firefighters to its ranks every week. Firefighters have extinguished 200 wildfires this year. While this elevated number of wildfire starts in 2024 points to concerning levels of danger, he said it means its response tactics are working. The Alberta government will be introducing fire bans on Wednesday. He called Alberta Wildfire’s response “only one part of the equation.” As he has mentioned before, wildfire prevention and preparedness is a shared responsibility. He said every one must do their part to foster wildfire resilience. For Albertans living in or near forests, he urged them to secure their property from wildfire danger and take preventative action to address these risks. This includes breaking up fuel sources, removing trees in close proximity to homes and ridding gutters and roofs of materials that can ignite. Loewen concluded by saying all wildfires this year have been manmade because of the point Alberta is at this season and the types of weather it is seeing. That is why it is important Albertans taking necessary precautions and do whatever they can to prevent wildfires. Alberta Wildfire Information Unit Manager Josee St. Onge said as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, there are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta. “Of those wildfires, none are classified as out of control, seven are classified as being held, and 56 are under control,” said St. Onge. “So far this year, we’ve responded to 205 forest fires in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta that have burned about 755 hectares.” The five-year average Alberta Wildfire has recorded is 120 wildfires with 230 hectares burned. St. Onge pointed out it is offering assistance to a mutual aid fire in the Municipal District of Peace. Alberta Emergency Management Agency Managing Director Stephen Lacroix followed up by saying 12 households were evacuated in the Municipal District of Peace. “So approximately 30 individuals I would say,” said Lacroix. “And we still have 20 individuals still evacuated from Cold Lake First Nation, although the evacuation order has lifted, so they should be back shortly.” The Alberta government said on Thursday it will be holding weekly updates about wildfires to ensure Albertans stay informed as the season develops. READ MORE: Alberta government provides first weekly update on wildfire activity for 2024At the time, it documented more wildfire starts than it had in 2023. “All wildfires are currently being held, under control, or are extinguished,” said Loewen.

Alberta government says wildfire count continues to increase, fire bans to be introduced

Related Stories