The risk of wildfires is increasing in the Lac La Biche and Lakeland area-as well as throughout Alberta-due to extreme heat, says a spokesperson with the provincial government.
Josée St-Onge with Alberta Wildfire said the fire danger in the Lac La Biche Forest Area is currently set to very high, adding that the fire danger increases anytime there is a period of hot and dry weather. The forest area includes areas from Cold Lake to Athabasca and north to the Conklin area. Currently, there are 59 active wildfires in Alberta, with one in the Lac La Biche Forest Area that is listed as ‘under control’. So far this year, there have been 577 wildfires in the province.
Fire Ban in place
In response to the hot and dry weather conditions of the past week, a fire ban was put in place in the Lac La Biche Forest Area.
The ban, which began on July 9, restricts all outdoor burning, including campfires.
June was better than expected
Thanks to timely rain and cooler temperatures, she said June was a quieter month across the province in terms of wildfires. However, government officials are now seeing an increase in wildfire activity, which is driven by the hot and dry weather that arrived early in July.
“We’re expecting intense fire behaviour in the coming days, that will challenge firefighters," she said, adding that new wildfires are also likely to ignite under these conditions.
St-Onge said the province is also seeing more lightning-caused wildfires thanks to unsettled weather that comes with the sharp increases in temperature. Lighting, she explained, ignited most of the wildfires that are now burning out-of-control in north and northwestern Alberta. According to St-Onge, that part of the province didn’t receive as much rain in June and is experiencing drought conditions. Subsequently, this has created an environment where wildfires can easily start and spread.
Smoky skies
Recently, hazy smoke has been noticeable in the skies over the Lac La Biche area. The smoke that is currently present in the Lac La Biche region, St-Onge said, is coming from wildfires burning in northern Alberta, as well as wildfires in northeastern British Columbia as well as the Northwest Territories. She added that there are several out-of-control wildfires currently burning in the High Level and Fort McMurray Forest areas, which are producing smoke.
With the increased risk of wildfires, St-Onge said the provincial government is asking everyone to continue to do their part to prevent wildfires.
“We want to remind people to never leave a campfire unattended and always put it out when they are done with it,” she stated.
