Authorities are advising Albertans to consider postponing their long weekend plans as nearly 100 wildfires continue to burn across the province.
Alberta Wildfire’s Christie Tucker said Friday that the May long weekend is usually when the province sees a peak in human-caused wildfires, adding that last year there were 97 wildfires. started over the weekend with less extreme levels of danger.
“This wildfire season affects us all and firefighters appreciate every action that reduces the potential for fires here in Alberta,” said Ms.me Tucker.
As of Friday afternoon, there were 93 wildfires in Alberta, 26 of which were out of control.
Most of the province remains under a fire ban, as well as a ban on all-terrain vehicles such as quads.
Mme Tucker said fire weather experts have placed the High Level, Fort Vermillion and Fort Chipewyan areas on red alert.
“This signals to firefighters and the public that this is an unsafe fire environment and that they should take extra precautions for their own safety,” Ms.me Tucker.
Colin Blair of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency said about 275 structures, including homes and businesses, were destroyed.
“Our hearts go out to everyone who has lost homes or businesses or suffered losses as a result of these wildfires,” Blair said. We know these are extremely difficult times and the resilience Albertans have shown is striking. »
More than 8,300 square kilometers of land have been burned, Ms.me Tucker, approximately 10 times the size of the Calgary metropolitan area.
“We will all be on high alert this weekend. It is 10°C above the seasonal normal and it is dry in addition to the gusts, ”advised Mme Tucker.
A team from the northwestern United States is due to arrive Saturday and head to a fire near Edson in western Alberta, Ms.me Tucker, adding that the government had requested 100 additional Canadian Armed Forces soldiers to help fight the fires.
In Saskatchewan, the province’s public safety agency on Friday advised residents to exercise extreme caution when near areas of dirt and dry grass.
The Quebec government is sending support to Saskatchewan to help the province fight the 29 active wildfires in its territory.
Saskatchewan expects to receive two CL-415 air tankers and their crews this weekend. This loan of resources is in addition to that sent to Alberta in recent days, including 52 wildland firefighters and a major fire management team made up of 12 specialists.
Also on Friday, the British Columbia government warned that a return to more seasonal spring conditions increases the risk of lightning-caused wildfires ahead of the long weekend, following an extended period of heat and drought. in much of the province.
Forecasts for Fort St. John in northeastern British Columbia plagued by wildfires show a risk of thunderstorms beginning Friday evening and extending through Saturday.
In the southern interior, Environment Canada said there was a risk of a thunderstorm in the Kamloops area on Saturday, with a chance of showers through Monday.
The province said a transition to cooler, wetter weather was expected on Sunday.
The smoke is expected to continue to bring poor air quality and reduced visibility to eastern British Columbia along the border with Alberta over the weekend.
Wildfires so far have been centered in northeast British Columbia, where the Peace River Regional District issued an evacuation order on Friday for properties in a rural area to the east off Highway 97, north of Fort St. John.