Wildland fire crews in Alberta battled nearly 1,800 fires during the 2015 season, third-highest number in 25 years

Wildland fire crews in Alberta were called out to combat nearly 1,800 fires during the 2015 season, the third-highest number in the past 25 years, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry said on Friday.

During the 2015 season, fire crews battled 1,786 wildfires covering more than 492,000 hectares – twice the 25-year average, the ministry said in a press release. Sixty-four fires were over 200 hectares – the 25-year average is 19.

In addition to $139 million that was budgeted at the start of the season for wildfire prevention, preparedness and management, the ministry added, the province provided an additional $375 million in emergency funding to cover the costs of fighting wildfires this season.

The release said that an additional 1,128 additional firefighters and various aircraft were brought in from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, the United States, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Mexico. In addition, 236 firefighters, equipment and aircraft were loaned to other parts of Canada and the United States to fight wildfires late in the season.

Airtankers dropped almost 11,235,000 litres of retardant, more than would fill four Olympic-sized swimming pools, the release said.

“An early spring, along with dry conditions, strong winds and thunderstorms created ideal conditions for extreme wildfire behaviour in Alberta,” Oneil Carlier, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. “Still, over half of the wildfires we saw this year were human-caused. Albertans need to do their part to prevent wildfires.”

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley also thanked the province’s “dedicated team of wildland firefighters as they worked to help reduce the impact of a severe wildfire season that challenged all of western Canada.”

Pretty crazy statistics on Alberta’s wildfire season. 1,786 fires in 2015, 3rd highest in last 25 years. #ableg pic.twitter.com/O5hOcbdKHv

— Matt Dykstra (@SUNMattDykstra) November 6, 2015