In 2023, Alberta experienced its most severe wildfire season to date.
Presently, the province faces low snowpack, dry forests and a spring and summer that could surpass last year’s record-breaking temperatures due to the lingering effects of El Niño.
In response, the Alberta government announced an early onset to the 2024 wildfire season and a strategic decision to bolster its firefighting workforce.
Normally, the ‘official’ fire season in Alberta starts on March 1, but the government announced the season officially begins on February 20 this year. One could argue that the 2023 fire season never ended as the number of carry-over wildfires that continue burning from last year skyrocketed this year.
Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen announced plans to hire an additional 100 firefighters to bolster the current roster of 900 firefighters to 1,000 to address the increased fire risk caused by Alberta’s prolonged drought and the high number of overwintering fires,
Loewen also said a permit will now be required for any burning in the forest protection areas.
Fire bans are likely to follow.
“We’re going to be more proactive (on fire bans) than we were last year. I think we’re going to be more prepared than we were last year,” he said.
Minister Loewen announced these ‘readiness’ preparations during a press conference in Whitecourt.
Challenges Ahead
By declaring the early start, ten days ahead of the traditional March 1st date, Loewen acknowledged the potential challenges ahead.
The Minister emphasized the importance of being proactive, especially in light of last year’s record-setting fire season, which saw an unprecedented 22,000 square kilometres of land consumed by flames.
The 100 additional firefighters to boost the existing 900 personnel depends on the provincial budget getting approved next week.
This potential firefighters boost comes after a record number of applications for seasonal firefighting roles.
If the budget is approved, the province hopes all staff will be ready to go by mid-April.
When Lowen was asked why he didn’t ask for more money to hire even more staff, Loewen said the province can rely on firefighters from other jurisdictions to help if fires get out of hand.
Not Doing Enough?
There are still concerns that the province is not doing enough and that the early wildfire season declaration and the boost in firefighters aren’t enough to face the likely challenges.
Heather Sweet, the NDP critic for forestry, expressed concern about the training and readiness of new recruits, considering the government’s estimate that about 50% of firefighters are newly hired each year.
“Even though the government knew there were active wildfires burning underground over the winter, the (UCP government) laid off wildland firefighters for the season and waited until the beginning of the 2024 wildfire season to start hiring with no training time,” Sweet said.
The government will also be relying on people with equipment to volunteer to help fight wildfires.
Many of these volunteers have little to no experience fighting large wildfires.
The Alberta Fire Chiefs Association (AFCA) has also called for a more inclusive and comprehensive wildfire strategy, advocating for the establishment of a new advisory committee to refine provincial tactics.
“Time is running short for meaningful discussions and planning from a multi-jurisdictional, multi-level government approach… with respect to this year’s upcoming fire season,” AFCA President Randy Schroeder told Global News.
“We feel that there’s been a lack of engagement,” Schroeder said. “We need a strategy because last year’s fires created a burden on all levels of government in terms of response.”
Ready to Burn?
You could say, Alberta’s kindling is dry, and the match is lit.
Alberta faces the compounded challenge of severe or extreme drought in large parts of the province, with an El Niño season predicted to prolong warm temperatures. Combine this with the 60 wildfires currently burning (as of February 21, including 52 wildfires that have carried over from last year), add in other environmental indicators such as low snowpacks and the forecast of dry weather conditions, and the next few months look scary.
The part of the province’s plan, which includes the implementation of required permits for burning in forest protection areas and a readiness to enforce fire bans, just seems like a no-brainer.
Minister Lowen did not explain why any burning is allowed at all, given the early season conditions.
Is Alberta’s strategy for the 2024 wildfire season enough?
The effectiveness of the government’s plan will ultimately depend on the timely approval of budget requests, the integration of new recruits, and the government’s ability to quickly adapt to evolving fire conditions.
As the province braces for what might be another challenging fire season, the dialogue between government officials, emergency services, and the community underscores the collective effort required to navigate the uncertainties ahead.
