Alberta wildfires being contained despite ‘elevated fire activity’ this weekend

Active Alberta wildfires have not grown substantially so far this weekend despite an elevated risk, officials say, with the blazes being contained in dry conditions.

Lower temperatures, humidity and isolated showers in the forecast for some regions are expected to bring relief to wildland firefighters.

But officials are still urging caution due to dry conditions across the province. The wildfire danger level remains “extreme” in northern Alberta.

Forty-nine wildfires were active as of Saturday afternoon, with 14 deemed out of control. One new wildfire ignited in the previous 24 hours.

“Yes, we’ve seen elevated fire activity this weekend,” said Melissa Story, an information officer with Alberta Wildfire. “We anticipated it coming. We were seeing drying conditions. We’re seeing a little bit of a wind shift too this weekend. So our folks on the ground are aware.

“We are seeing more intense fire activity on the perimeter of wildfires. We haven’t had anything escape any containment lines to my knowledge and most of the fires haven’t grown substantially.”

Sixteen states of local emergency and six evacuation orders remain in effect, with 5,257 Albertans still unable to return to their homes. Several evacuated communities announced re-entry plans last week.

The federal government announced it was extending the deployment of Canadian Armed Forces in Alberta, which remains under a provincial state of emergency.

Alberta Wildfire says a batch of firefighters from New Zealand arrived in the province Friday, with nearly 200 more firefighters from Australia expected over the weekend.

Roughly 1.05 million hectares have burned in Alberta so far this wildfire season, approaching the record 1.3 million hectares burned over the entire 1984 wildfire season.