LAC LA BICHE - A lightning storm during the Aug. 27 weekend ignited seven wildfires in the Lac La Biche Forest Area with one causing a section of a major highway to have traffic reduced to one lane for several hours officials say.
The fire affected a fifth of an acre of space along a stretch of Highway 881— 113 km north of the hamlet of Lac La Biche, redirecting traffic from roughly 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. Lac La Biche fire departments and protective services were on scene along with provincial wildfire staff after being notified, said Melissa Story, Alberta Wildfire community relations specialist.
“It was called in by a member of the public to 310-FIRE. Alberta Wildfire responded with helicopters and a fire truck crew. This wildfire was quickly reclassified as under control in about an hour thanks to efforts by our firefighters and a bucketing helicopter,” she explained. The fire was fully extinguished the next day.
Two of the fires caused by the lightning storm are “still currently burning under control,” and being monitored, she added.
The wildfire season, running annually from March through October in Alberta, has included high temperatures leading to an “extended period of hot, dry weather, which can increase the wildfire danger,” said Story. “Under these conditions, wildfires can ignite easily and spread quickly.”
This summer, Environment Canada issued multiple heat warnings in the Lakeland Region with temperatures reaching upward of 30 Celsius. The most recent advisory for the region was issued for the areas that included St. Paul, Lac La Biche and Bonnyville from Sept.1 through early this week.
Wildfires
Since January, “Lac La Biche Forest Area has had 170 wildfires that have burned 2,219.62 hectares,” said Story with lightning contributing to 36 fires. Additionally, human activity has caused 113 and the rest are “still under investigation.”
In comparison, 1,018 fires were recorded province-wide as of Aug. 31 with just over 141,000 hectares being affected. The five-year average is “1,001 wildfires burning just over 186,000 hectares,” she said.
“Last year, 67 per cent of wildfires were human-caused and these are completely preventable. We rely on Albertans to do their part to prevent wildfires by ensuring their campfires are completely extinguished when they are out in Alberta’s forested areas,” says Story.
Provincial and local departments are encouraging residents and tourists to stay aware and support fire prevention.
“If you are out in the forested areas of the province please remember to always fully extinguish your campfire by soaking the ashes, stirring them and soaking them again. If you are planning to operate an off-highway vehicle, stop often and clean hot spots. Debris can build up in places like the muffler and exhaust. These can ignite and drop to the ground starting an inadvertent wildfire,” says Story.
The wildfire danger in the Lac La Biche Forest Area has been classified as very high since Aug. 26. Additionally, no new permits will be issued in the area, until conditions improve say officals.
