Grass fires and forest fires become more of a threat as the weather warms up and dries out. (Submitted photo/Aimee McKay)

By Rob Mahon

Wildfire Season Starting

Controlled burns soon to start for Prince Albert Fire Department

May 16, 2022 | 12:00 PM

Wildland fire season is underway in Saskatchewan, and while the risk of a fire is relatively low at the moment, the Prince Albert Fire Department will be making some preparations this week to keep the risk even lower.

“We have certain gear that we use specifically for wildfire and equipment that is ready this time of year always,” said Alex Paul, deputy chief of the Prince Albert Fire Department. “In terms of preparation outside of the department, we do controlled burning around the city so you’ll see us out and about in key wildland areas throughout the city.”

If the fire department starting fires seems a little counter-intuitive, there’s a good reason for it. Burning away dead vegetation at a time when they can keep the burn manageable prevents it from burning out of control, whether the fire starts accidentally or is deliberately set, later on in the year.

Meanwhile, they’ve gotten a bit of a helping hand from the weather. A snow-heavy winter helped keep moisture levels up for a time, and now that it has melted away, rain is the order of the day.

“What really helps is getting some rainfall early in the spring once the snow is gone so we can get the grass to green up,” Paul said. “We’re already seeing some of that right now. The grass is starting to green up, which makes it a lot harder for a wildfire to get going.”

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More rain is likely on the way tomorrow, adding on to what fell over the weekend, but unfortunately, rain might be harder to come by as the season goes on. In fact, the department is preparing for a tougher wildland fire season than usual.

“The indicators are that our area of the province will be experiencing somewhat of a drought this year,” said Paul. “Unfortunately, we could be in a very dry spell and wildfires could be higher this year than we’ve seen in the past.”

With that in mind, the fire department will get their controlled burns done soon to help reduce the risk of a fire in and around Prince Albert, but there are things homeowners can do to help keep the risk down as well.

“Anybody that lives in a rural area and has a lot of trees and grass, we would recommend keeping the grass mowed and trimming your trees up,” Paul said. “If you can trim them up about eye-level, five and a half or six feet high, when a grass fire does come through it doesn’t give the trees an opportunity to start burning upwards.”

Paul added Fire Smart Canada has online programs with tips on the best ways to trim grass and trees to avoid fires.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP