By Taylor MacPherson

Province experiencing below-average wildfire season

May 25, 2017 | 10:00 AM

Recent rains may have spoiled a few camping trips, but for those who fight Saskatchewan wildfires the precipitation spells additional relief during an already below-average fire season.

“Currently we have five wildfires burning in Saskatchewan,” Provincial Wildfire Centre Manager Dennis Trueman said. “Two are ongoing assessment, two are contained and one new one [yesterday] morning has not yet been contained.”

On the second floor of the Wildfire Centre a few kilometres north of the city, Trueman and his team have the task of coordinating firefighting and fire detection operations across Saskatchewan. Next to a mural of Smokey Bear, two huge projection screens display maps of the province showing the sizes and locations of wildfires in real time. A network of dots represents fire crews, detection planes and other resources Trueman can deploy in response to a wildfire.

One of the biggest jobs Trueman and his team have is fire detection. Recent weather gives them an idea of which areas have higher fire risks, but for the most part they rely on a network of 42 cameras monitored from the Wildfire Centre. More information comes in from watchtowers and civilian tips, as well as aerial detection planes and helicopters.

So far this year, Trueman has deployed crews to combat 76 wildfires, which is well below their average of 156.

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“It all depends on the moisture levels,” he said. “With the forecasted moisture that’s coming in the next few days we should see the hazard fall to low-to-moderate.”

Even with recent rainfall, Trueman emphasized the fire risk would not fall to zero. While he estimated half of the wildfires they combat are caused by lightning strikes, the remainder are human-caused, often due to carelessness.

“Even though it may seem wet out, we still can have fires,” Trueman said. “If you’re lighting a fire, be very careful. Always monitor a fire until it’s out and make double-sure that it’s out.”

While campfires are a huge risk when it comes to human-caused wildfires, Trueman said there are other areas of concern as well. Even an ATV can cause a wildfire, he said, as debris caught near the engine can catch fire if it is not cleaned out regularly. The person who starts any fire, Trueman emphasized, is responsible for any damages it causes, which can often mean big financial penalties.

There are currently no fire bans in Saskatchewan but Trueman advised campers to check with their municipality to ensure there are no local bans in place before lighting a fire.

Taylor.macpherson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TMacPhersonNews