Photo courtesy Alberta Wildfire

By Erika Rolling

Wildfires

2024 wildfire season recap

Oct 29, 2024 | 4:52 PM

As October comes to an end, so does the wildfire season in Alberta.

Alberta Wildfire says 2024 was busier than the average season, but not as severe as the record-breaking season in 2023.

1,217 wildfires have been responded to provincially by Alberta Wildfire so far this year, with over 741,000 hectares burned. At the same time in 2023, they responded to 1,080 wildfires, that burned 2.2 million hectares.

Season overview

The fire season was declared early on February 20, so that the fire ban system could be activated and hiring/training wildfire staff could happen faster. Thanks to early training and recruitment 85 per cent of all wildfires in 2024 were contained within 24 hours of being detected.

What's Happening in Lethbridge this week: October 28-November 3, 2024

Oct 28, 2024

What's Happening in Lethbridge this week: October 21-27, 2024

Oct 21, 2024

What's Happening in Lethbridge this weekend: October 11, 2024

Oct 11, 2024

There were multiple communities that required evacuation orders due to nearby wildfires. Some Fort McMurray residents were to leave their homes on May 14-18 due to wildfire MWF-018. Little Red River Cree Nation communities, including Fox Lake, Garden River, and John D’Or Prairie were evacuated multiple times throughout the summer due to the Semo Complex.

July and August heat caused significant wildfire risk across the province, along with an increase in lightning-caused wildfires. There were 577 lightning-caused wildfires this year, the highest number since July 2004 with 541.

Jasper National Park also experienced a devastating wildfire at the end July, causing severe damage to the Town of Jasper and the surrounding area. A mutual aid agreement with Parks Canada allowed Alberta Wildfire to respond to the wildfire response with support personnel, firefighters, aircraft, and equipment.

Half of all wildfires were human-caused. As of October 28, 610 wildfires were started by people, and 50 fires still remain under investigation.

Reminder

Alberta Wildfire says that although the wildfire season is coming to a close on October 31, fires can still start in colder conditions, as dead and dry vegetation is highly flammable.

Fires can smoulder underground for months unnoticed, and reemerge in the spring as wildfires if the conditions are right.

The provincial authority asks everyone to be cautious when burning, and to follow safe practices year-round.