Predictions earlier this year for another destructive forest fire season seem to be coming true. Last year, records were set in terms of both the number and amount of forest burned across Canada and this year the season has started early. In the central province of Ontario there are currentlysix active fires burning, One fire in northwestern Ontario designated Kenora 28, burned 350 hectares, closed a road and burned power lines in spite of a vigourous effort by several crews to contain it.
Though now only smouldering, crews will continue to deal with hot spots for several more days. Ontario has also sent over 70 people to the Yukon, and over 120 to Alberta to help crews fight fires there. Since April 1, there have been 629 wildfires in Alberta with over 13,000 hectares.
As of late Monday night there were 71 fires burning in the province, with 27 considered out of control. Most have been started by lightning strikes in the dry forests. This week officials announced a ban on all open fires in the province’s forest protection area which is about 60 percent of the province and includes campgrounds, and all random and backcountry trails. Also earlier this week, a similar ban was imposed in most of northern Saskatchewan which has seen more than 180 wildfires this year.
An extreme fire risk was announced for almost the entire province earlier this week as well. As of Tuesday there were 19 wildfires in the province, seven of which are not contained. Officials are concerned as high temperatures and thunderstorms with lightning are predicted for the southern part of the province today. In the northern territory of Yukon some 43 fires are burning. This is compared to 32 wildfires in total from last year. Most have been started by lightning.
The Northwest Territories last year had their worst season last year, spending some $56 million to combat fires that burned 3 million hectares. Currently there are four wildfires burning in that territory, although officials there say the forest is tinder dry. Fire Chief Ross Potter in the town of Hay River says, “It’s really dry out there. Even the muskeg is powdery. All it takes to really get a fire going is a pop bottle in a grassy area,” says Potter. “Sun reflects through the bottle, and that can cause a fire.” With files from CBC
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