Wildfire risk climbing in southern Alberta amid hot weather

The wildfire risk is climbing in southern Alberta with Calgary and much of the province under its first heat warning of the season.

According to Alberta Wildfire, the risk of fires in the Calgary Forest Area is currently sitting at high as warmer temperatures and strong winds, expected to stick around for the next few days, fuel the danger.

So far this year 21 wildfires have roared across more than 32 hectares of land in the Calgary Forest Area, which includes areas west of Carstairs, Cochrane, Calgary, south to Crowsnest Pass. None of them are currently active.

The Weather Network released their summer forecast on Wednesday and says droughts, wildfires and powerful thunderstorms could be in the works across parts of Canada, with warmer-than-normal temperatures possible for the vast majority of the country.

“At first glance you might think ‘wow, a hot summer and lots of sunshine, that’s great news,’ but we know you can have too much of a good thing,” says The Weather Network senior meteorologist Doug Gillham. “We’re concerned about drought, concerned about the impacts on agriculture, and also the risk for wildfires.”

Gillham says one upside is that conditions are better leading into the summer than they have been in some recent tough drought years, such as 2012, he said.

The latest tally shows there are 40 active wildfires across the province with 18 deemed out of control.

The recent dry conditions have led to a fire advisory from the Rocky View County Fire Services and its western region. An advisory was already in place for the east region.

WATCH: Calgary fire extinguish large brush fire in city’s SW

In Calgary, CFD spokesperson Carol Henke says many factors are primed to fuel grass fires.

“Our fire crews are ready for basically anything all the time, and we are very aware that these types of conditions can lead to an increased response to grass fires,” says Henke.

Earlier Wednesday, extreme conditions led to a fire ban for Grande Prairie where officials say high heat, dry vegetation and wind mean any spark could start a wildfire.

This week, more than 1,000 residents were forced to evacuate the town of Swan Hills northwest of Edmonton as a wildfire burned just north of the community.

The city of Flin Flon, Manitoba, ordered all 5,000 of its residents to leave on Wednesday due to an approaching wildfire.

More information on fire bans and restrictions in Alberta can be found at albertafirebans.ca.

With files from The Canadian Press