62% of Alberta wildfires were caused by humans in 2021

The 2021 Alberta wildfire season has come to an finish and regardless of scorching summer season climate circumstances, officers say it was a below-average 12 months when it comes to how a lot space burned.

Oct. 31 marked the official finish to wildfire season in Alberta, with a complete of 1,307 wildfires burning 52,955 hectares — 130,855 acres — of land. In line with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, the five-year common in Alberta has seen about 1,123 wildfires burn 317,326 hectares — 784,129 acres — between 2016 and 2020.

“Our world-class wildland firefighting employees have labored diligently to maintain Albertans and their communities secure,” Agriculture and Forestry Minister Devin Dreeshen stated in a media launch.

“Regardless of seeing extra wildfires than common beginning over the dry spring and summer season months, our knowledgeable employees have been very profitable in managing the fires, resulting in much less forest space being burned.”

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Sixty-two per cent of the wildfires this season have been attributable to people. The province stated on common, the variety of human-caused wildfires has been on the decline in recent times. The province touts wildfire prevention applications and Albertans doing their half for the discount within the variety of preventable wildfires.

This 12 months, 33 per cent of wildfires have been attributable to lightning and about 5 per cent stay underneath investigation.

Due to the absence of huge wildfires in Alberta, the province was in a position to ship crews to eight different areas this summer season. A complete of 492 firefighters, plane and tools have been despatched to different jurisdictions in want of assist.

The province despatched 111 firefighters and 64 assist employees to British Columbia, the place wildfire ravaged the province this season. A further 250 firefighters and 12 assist employees have been despatched to Ontario. Alberta additionally helped Manitoba, Quebec, the Northwest Territories, Alaska, Washington and the Canadian Interagency Forest Hearth Centre.

Whereas wildfire season has come to an finish, officers ask Albertans to proceed to be cautious when having fun with the forests as dry circumstances can proceed by the autumn and winter months.