By Canadian Press

Wildfire forecast anticipates high risk for new wildfires in Prairies, N.W.T.

Jun 12, 2024 | 11:37 AM

OTTAWA — The wildfire season has been less dire so far this year than 2023, but the risk is high across most of the country for new fires to erupt this summer.

The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre says there were 120 active fires burning on Tuesday, including 46 that were out of control.

About 5,200 square kilometres of land has burned so far this year — almost two-thirds of it in British Columbia.

By this time last year more than 46,000 square kilometres had already burned, half of it in Alberta and Quebec.

Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says hot, dry weather is expected in much of the country over the next three months.

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The wildfire forecast shows the highest-risk areas are in B.C., Alberta and Northwest Territories, with northern parts of B.C. and Alberta more at risk in June and southern B.C. and the southern Prairies more at risk in July.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2024.

The Canadian Press