Wildfire risk for BC Southern Interior and Prairies rated extreme in new forecast

The danger of wildfires is already at high to extreme levels in parts of Western Canada, officials have said.

Natural Resources Canada’s Northern Forestry Centre in Edmonton released a briefing today on this year’s fire season forecast.

B.C.’s Southern Interior, much of the southern Prairies and parts of the Yukon are all rated as at extreme risk of wildfires.

It comes as an aggressive wildfire is burning west of Osoyoos.

Meanwhile Alberta has 26 active fires, one of which is classified as out of control north of Peace River.

Federal officials say more than half of all wildfires are caused by humans, with lightning strikes accounting for the rest.

The department works with provinces and territories on wildfire management, provides maps of daily fire weather and behaviour, notes fire locations and does monthly seasonal fire severity forecasts through an online information website.

With files from Canadian Press