Light rain and cooler temperatures slowed wildfire activity in Alberta over the long weekend and more rain forecast could help firefighters catch their breath.
“This could be a turning point for the firefighters working there on the fires,” Alberta Wildfire’s Christie Tucker said at a Monday news conference.
“We have received rain, I believe, on almost all of the wildfires that are currently burning in the province, with the exception of those in the far north. »
She delivered the message of hope while telling reporters that 2023 was the most active spring for wildfires on record with 945,000 hectares burned, surpassing 2019’s 615,000.
Cooler temperatures and rain are expected to continue on Tuesday, she noted.
Bre Hutchinson, executive director of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, told the press conference that the fire danger remains very high to extreme in northern Alberta, and high to very high the along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
More than 10,000 Albertans remain evacuated from their homes.
“Despite the forecast, it is important that all Albertans remain vigilant, especially those living in areas that remain under evacuation alert,” said Ms.me Hutchinson.
Progress continues in battling stubborn fires, like the one that forced the evacuation of the East Prairie Métis Settlement, where dozens of structures were destroyed.
Mme Tucker said 56 firefighters and four heavy equipment groups worked to control the blaze, which burned nearly 93,000 acres.
Across the province, she said, nearly 2,900 firefighters and support staff from 17 different agencies are battling the blazes. This includes an additional 100 Canadian soldiers who joined 300 other troops over the weekend, who participated in fire suppression activities like hot spot extinguishing.
The province’s requests were still ongoing with partner agencies for additional firefighting assistance, as large fires will not be extinguished after just a few days of rain.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and we need to plan ahead to keep fighting these large-scale wildfires. »
The smoke continued to pose problems Monday for event organizers and anyone with respiratory problems. In Calgary, a preseason CFL game between the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Elks was postponed for half an hour, in part to allow more time for air quality monitoring .
In Edmonton, the city announced that an evacuation center that opened earlier this month for people fleeing fires in the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County would close Tuesday as the wildfire threatens in these regions decreases.
“Good neighbors look out for each other and that’s what we’ve done,” City Manager André Corbould said in a statement.
The statement noted that since the center opened on May 5, more than 10,000 meals have been served, approximately 275 beds have been made available and hotel reservations have been arranged for more than 500 households.
He also pointed out that 336 pets were registered at the evacuation center.