Alberta sends 27 firefighters to Yukon, 44 to Manitoba, to help battle wildfires; Alberta's 811 wildfires since April 1 have burnt 19,000 hectares, but government says rain, cooler temperatures, have reduced current danger

Wendy Lisney

EDMONTON, Alberta , July 18, 2013 (press release) – Twenty-seven Alberta firefighters will fly to Yukon on July 17 to help battle wildfires.

Earlier this summer, Alberta sent three firefighting personnel to the territory. In 2012, 39 firefighters were dispatched to Yukon. That same year, Alberta brought in 34 firefighters and three airtankers from Yukon.

Currently, rain and cooler temperatures in Alberta have reduced the wildfire danger to the point where Alberta firefighters can be sent to work in other parts of the country.

Alberta’s fire danger is continually monitored, and a sufficient number of firefighters are on hand to quickly respond to any new wildfires detected in the Forest Protection Area. Firefighters working out of province can be recalled quickly should the wildfire situation in Alberta change unexpectedly.

Alberta regularly participates in the exchange of firefighting personnel and equipment across North America. Earlier this week, Alberta sent 44 firefighters to Manitoba to help fight wildfires there. Last year, Alberta sent more than 40 firefighters to Quebec and also received help from firefighting agencies across Canada and Mexico when wildfire danger and activity was high in our province.

There are currently 15 wildfires burning in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, all of which are classified as being held or under control. Since April 1, Alberta has recorded 811 wildfires, which have burned about 19,000 hectares of land.

For more information about wildfires in Alberta, visit www.srd.alberta.ca/wildfires/default.aspx.

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.