Grande Prairie region under fire ban heading into expected dry, windy weekend
A fire ban has been reinstated in the Grande Prairie Forest Area, where the fire risk is highest in Alberta as temperatures climb.
"They just didn't get the precipitation," Alberta Wildfire spokesperson Christie Tucker said in the weekly provincial wildfire update Thursday morning in Edmonton.
While rain – and snow in some areas – in the past week reduced the wildfire danger to low to moderate throughout much of the province, northwestern Alberta received less and had more built up dry vegetation.
"We know in the short term this weekend, we are expecting dry conditions, we're expecting warm conditions, we are looking at winds in a couple of areas that could provide additional danger, and so we are increasing our caution for this weekend, particularly in those areas that didn't get as much rain around the Peace and Grande Prairie region," Tucker explained.
She and Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen urged Albertans to respect wildfire bans and restrictions, such as that enacted near Grande Prairie.
"Wind can always have an extreme effect on wildfire activity; it can inflame activity and mean the difference between, let's say, a campfire that may just go out in a little bit of rain, and a campfire that can spread and turn into a wildfire," Tucker said.
On average, 67 per cent of wildfires in Alberta are caused by humans.
Loewen repeated the message that is being spread through public education campaigns: "Don't be that person."
According to the online wildfire dashboard, there were 40 active wildfires in the province's protected forest areas Thursday morning, 24 of which were carried over from 2023. All were classified as under control or being held.
So far this year, 9,197 hectares have burned. By the same time last year, some 260,000 hectares had been burned.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton stabbed with toothbrush and broken broom handle: victim's family
The family of one of Robert Pickton's victims says the convicted serial killer suffered an incredibly violent death at the hands of another inmate.
Republicans join Trump's attacks on justice system and campaign of vengeance after guilty verdict
Embracing Donald Trump's strategy of blaming the U.S. justice system after his historic guilty verdict, Republicans in Congress are fervently enlisting themselves in his campaign of vengeance and political retribution in the GOP bid to reclaim the White House.
Daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt files court petition to remove father's last name
A daughter of actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt filed paperwork to legally remove "Pitt" from her name on the day she turned 18.
U.S. defense secretary says war with China neither imminent nor unavoidable, stressing need for talks
United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told a gathering of top security officials Saturday that war with China was neither imminent nor unavoidable, despite rapidly escalating tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, stressing the importance of renewed dialogue between him and his Chinese counterpart in avoiding "miscalculations and misunderstandings."
Ex-husband charged with murder in death of Lumby, B.C., woman
The ex-husband of Tatjana Stefanski – the woman whose disappearance and death set the small town of Lumby, B.C., on edge last month – has been charged with her murder.
Hezbollah fighters shoot down an Israeli drone in southern Lebanon
The militant Hezbollah group said it shot down an Israeli drone over southern Lebanon on Saturday, after hours Israeli drone strikes killed at least one person and wounded others.
Is intermittent fasting better than counting calories? Maybe not, but you might stick with it
As weight-loss plans go, it's easy to see the allure of intermittent fasting: Eat what you want, but only during certain windows of time — often just eight hours a day.
Hostage families call for a ceasefire deal pushed by Biden. Israel says conditions must be met
Families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas called for all parties to immediately accept a proposal detailed by U.S. President Joe Biden to end the nearly eight-month-long war and bring their relatives home, but Israel's government said conditions for a ceasefire still must be met.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.