Warm, windy weather pushing wildfire risk higher across Alberta

Global News

25-04-2025

It's warming up, windy and dry across much of the province — and one doesn't need to be a weatherperson to know what that means during spring in Alberta.
That said, experts confirm heading into the weekend, conditions are ripe for wildfires.
'When the relative humidity is lower than the ambient temperature so, for example, if the temperature was 25 C and the relative humidity was below 25 per cent, that's when we would start seeing crossover conditions,' said Danielle Desjardins, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Crossover is the point at which the relative humidity is less than or equal to the temperature and this is an indicator of extreme burning potential, according to Alberta Wildfire, which said the Slave Lake region was experiencing such conditions on Friday.
It's a precarious time in Alberta's wildfire season, when a warm and/or windy day like what presented itself on Friday could lead to fires spreading out of control.
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'We need people to be very cautious in the coming days to make sure we don't inadvertently start any wildfires in these conditions,' Alberta Wildfire information officer Josee St-Onge said on Friday.
'We're early in spring and vegetation hasn't had a chance to green up; grass can carry up flames very, very easily.'
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It's dry across northern Alberta, where the province said the fire danger level is high in regions near Fort McMurray, Slave Lake, High Level, Peace River and Lac La Biche.
'High temperatures are expected to continue for the coming days and may include strong winds,' Alberta Wildfire said in the update Friday for the Fort Mac area.
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'It's of the utmost importance to be very careful when having a campfire or doing any burning activities.
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'In strong winds these can get out of control very quickly.'
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There are no significant wildfires of note yet, and officials hope it stays that way.
'At this time last year, we had already responded to over 200 fires and they had burned over 8,000 hectares of forest. Whereas right now we're looking at about 160 wildfires that have burned 800 hectares,' St-Onge said, adding on Friday afternoon there were only 12 wildfires in the forest protection area and all are under control and not threatening communities.
'So we're in much better shape than we were at this time last year — but it's still early in the season so we're prepared for anything.'
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The forest protection area runs along the foothills and Rocky Mountains, and all of northern Alberta's boreal forest. It encompasses rural areas around the communities of Edson, Grande Prairie, High Level, Fort McMurray, Peace River, Slave Lake and Whitecourt.
Fire advisories have also started to be issued across Alberta in the first two weeks of April, and fire bans are in place in the town of Fairview, surrounding Municipal District of Fairview No. 136, and nearby Birch Hills County.
Firefighters are urging all Albertans across the province to use caution when working or enjoying the outdoors, as areas of dead grass will ignite easily, and a fire will spread quickly.
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'Once the ground is bare, since snowpack has melted, that's when we start seeing these conditions,' Desjardins concurred.
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Desjardins said the weather gets into what is called 'extreme crossover condition territory' when the 30-30-30 rule is met.
'So if the temperature is 30 degrees or above, relative humidity is below 30 and a 30-km/h wind or greater. That's when we kind of see extreme crossover conditions.'
While Alberta isn't expected to see that kind of weather this early in the spring, there will still be noticeable winds on Saturday.
'From Highway 16 north, there are likely winds in the general range of 20-40k m/h. We expect less wind for the region on Sunday,' said Global News weather specialist Phil Darlington.
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It has been a very dry April so far. Current data from Environment Canada shows the Slave Lake region has received 3.8 mm of precipitation so far this month — fraction of what is normal. The region sees, on average, 23.2 mm this month.
'Alberta has seen a very dry month of April,' Desjardins confirmed. 'We are seeing those crossover conditions kind of begin to increase by mid-to-late next week.'
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Whether you're out spring camping, using ATVs or burning spring cleanup yard waste, Albertans are urged to be fire smart.
'It applies, really, anytime in the spring and summer, when you're starting a fire to make sure it's under control and it's fully out before you leave it unattended so that it doesn't spread,' Desjardins said.
It isn't all doom and gloom though — well, perhaps some gloomy weather.
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'Sunday is going to see more prominent rain and snow across parts of the province,' Darlington said.
From Grande Prairie to Highway 16 near Hinton and Edson, a mix of rain and snow is expected to move in through the early morning, with more rain spread east along the Yellowhead highway to Lloydminster.
Wildfire season is from March 1 to Oct. 31 in Alberta.