Let it rain.
After months of escalating warnings about the dry, dry weather creating dry, dry conditions across the province — and in particular across the Lakeland’s agricultural sector and forests — days of rainfall are welcome.
While it’s true that dry grass, dry ground, and dry skies all contribute to the higher risk of wildfires — recent statistics continue to show that the biggest ignition factor continues to be far less environmental, and much more personal.
People are responsible for almost all of the 250 wildfires that have been reported across the province so far this fire season. With 60 of those extinguished fires still under investigation, more than 180 have been classified as human-caused. If past statistics are an indicator, most of the remaining 60 investigations will also be linked to carelessness over climate.
In the northern portion of Lac La Biche Forest, near the community of Janiver, for example, 40 small fires have already been extinguished this year within a five-kilometre radius of the northern community. Of those, 34 were human-caused. The remaining six are still under investigation. Going into the new week, the forest area’s only active wildfire is also a human-caused blaze — covering less than a hectare — burning in the Janvier area.
As rain falls this week, as farmers tend to fields and firefighters perhaps get a slight break in seasonal tensions, there is still work to be done.
Rain doesn’t stop wildfires. Common sense does.
