Alberta Wildfire on what to do — and what not to do — as May long weekend approaches
The May long weekend is the kickoff to summer for many Albertans itching to get out camping and enjoying the outdoors, but it comes at a precarious time in the province's wildfire season.
This time of year, many fires are started by human activities such as campfires, burning deadfall, sparks and hot exhaust from ATVs and other off-road vehicles, cigarette butts and agriculture activity.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Alberta Wildfire said last year, 32 out of 33 wildfires that began on the Victoria Day long weekend were caused by humans. In 2023, it was 16 out of 25 fires.
'There is a misconception that we are trying to limit the ability of people to enjoy the back country — but that isn't the case,' said Alberta Wildfire public information officer Kevin Hunt.
'We really do take a look at what the weather conditions are — what are our current and forecasted fire loads are.'
Story continues below advertisement
Sarah Komadina went out to Crimson Lake Provincial Park near Rocky Mountain House to learn more from Alberta Wildfire and Alberta Parks officials about the current fire bans and restrictions, and how they could impact recreation plans.
Learn more in the video above.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
Alice Lake Park under evacuation order as Squamish wildfire grows
Visitors inside Alice Lake Provincial Park are being evacuated as an out-of-control wildfire in Squamish continues to burn. B.C. Parks issued an advisory online Wednesday evening, after the District of Squamish said the park was closed earlier that afternoon. 'In the interest of public safety, all visitors should evacuate the park immediately and remain out of the area until further notice.' Additionally, smoke from the fire has reduced visibility on Highway 99 through the north end of the community. Drivers are asked to slow down while travelling through the area. Reduced visibility from wildfire smoke north end of Squamish. Reduce speed through area. — District of Squamish (@Squamishtown) June 12, 2025 Story continues below advertisement The Dryden Creek fire was first discovered on Monday afternoon, burning precariously above homes in the Skyridge neighbourhood of Squamish. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, the blaze has grown to 54 hectares in size. A local state of emergency remains in effect, as hundreds of residents are on evacuation alert with officials saying flames have come within 40 metres of some homes. The fire is believed to have been human-caused. Mounties are looking to speak with people who were in the area around the time the fire was first reported.
Global News
9 hours ago
- Global News
Montreal transit strike leads to extra traffic on some bike paths
The head of a cycling advocacy group says Montreal's public transit strike has spurred record numbers on the city's bike paths. Jean-François Rheault, CEO of Vélo Québec, says devices installed by the city to count the number of passing bicycles are showing record or near-record levels since the strike began Monday. 'Nobody wanted this strike,' he said. 'But that being said, what we see is that cycling is a solution which is used by Montrealers to get around.' The strike by 2,400 transit maintenance workers has limited bus and metro service to morning and afternoon rush hours and late at night. Partial daylong service will resume Thursday, with some level of service disruptions expected until June 17, with the exception of the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix weekend. Rheault says one bicycle counter on the corner of St-Denis and Rachel streets in the Plateau-Mont-Royal district recorded more than 11,000 trips on Tuesday for the first time since it was installed in 2020, despite a day that included rain and a severe thunderstorm warning. Story continues below advertisement He says some bicycle paths are so crowded that riders are having to wait for more than one traffic light cycle to cross the street. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We've had several reports from people saying that there were a lot of people on the paths, and it's not necessarily very comfortable,' he said. 'We're reaching situations of overcrowding, which actually translates to the fact that not all cyclists are able to cross at a light.' Information from several dozen bicycle counters around the city recorded 92,871 trips in total on Monday, compared to 80,961 the week before. Tuesday, with rainy weather, recorded fewer rides than the previous week. Although there were no citywide records broken, the data appeared to show spikes in traffic at a few key spots in the city. In addition to the 11,044 trips at Rachel street on Tuesday, the St-Denis/Des Carrières intersection saw 10,228 trips and the Berri/Banq counter reported 7,421. Christian Vermette, the chief executive officer of BIXI Montréal, a service that offers bike rentals and docking stations for short trips, says it added extra capacity to meet the demand just in time for the 'busiest day in its history' on Tuesday. 'We experienced exceptional ridership this week, with a 35 per cent increase in trips this Monday compared to historical figures and a record 83,897 trips on Tuesday,' Vermette said in an email. Story continues below advertisement While day-to-day numbers can vary due to weather, Rheault said the number of people on Montreal's bicycle paths has been steadily rising in recent years. That growth has been driven by several factors, including a rise in winter cycling and the expansion and popularity of BIXI. Last year, the city's express bicycle path network, called the REV, reported about 1.6 million trips, which was about 100,000 more than the year before, he said. Rheault said the strike is a 'tragedy' for people with limited mobility, but there could be a silver lining. He said events such as the 2019 Paris transit strike and the 2012 flooding of New York's subway system during Hurricane Sandy served as 'turning points' that led to a permanent increase in bike ridership, after people who were forced to turn to cycling out of necessity ended up sticking with it. He said the same thing could happen in Montreal. 'For people getting around on a bike for the first time, I think for them it will be an experience of discovery,' he said. '…Maybe they'll adopt it, maybe they'll adopt it sometimes, maybe they'll never come back, but in any case, these situations where we're forced to review our mobility options don't happen often in life.'
Global News
10 hours ago
- Global News
Smoke prompts warnings from Alberta health experts, restrictions on outdoor activities
The smell and taste of smoke hung heavy in the air across much of Alberta Wednesday morning, as wildfires in northern B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan continue to burn, sending a thick blanket of smoke south across most of the province. The air quality health index — which rates air quality on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the best and 10 being the worst — was listed as 10+ or 'very high risk' in Lethbridge, Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer on Wednesday morning. View image in full screen The downtown Calgary skyline is obscured by wildfire smoke in this shot from the Global News helicopter Wednesday morning. Global News The heavy smoke prompted Environment Canada to issue Air Quality warnings for most of the province — stretching from Peace River country in the north, south to the border with Montana. Story continues below advertisement The national weather agency warned about spending too much time outside because of the health risk — especially for people who are over the age of 65, infants and young children, people with pre-existing or chronic health conditions, anyone who is pregnant and people who work outdoors. Even those who don't need to spend time outdoors are being advised to keep doors and windows closed as much as possible and consider the use of ventilation system or portable air cleaner to help filter out the smoke particles. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy School boards are also warning that some outdoor events may be cancelled or rescheduled. 1:51 Doctors warn about short, long term impacts of poor air quality from wildfires More information about the dangers of wildfire smoke and how to reduce your health risk is available online at Details on the current air quality health index are also available online at Story continues below advertisement View image in full screen Thick smoke from the wildfires in northern Alberta prompted Environment Canadta to issue air quality warnings for much of the province on Wednesday. Global News As of noon on Wednesday, there were 59 wildfires burning in Alberta, with most of them in the northern part of the province and 23 of them considered out of control. While the fires have been fuelled by some record hot and dry conditions, there could be some relief on the way. 'Right now, Alberta is under a ridge of high pressure,' said Global Edmonton weather specialist Phil Darlington. 'But this ridge is on its way out. We expect less heat through Thursday and Friday.' In Grand Prairie, one of the hardest-hit areas of the province, the forecast high for Wednesday is 22 C — a few degrees above normal — but on Thursday it's supposed to drop to around 15 C, about 5 C below normal. View image in full screen Views of the downtown Edmonton skyline were obscured on Wednesday by thick smoke from wildfires burning in northern Alberta. Global News However, the change in weather could also bring with it a danger of thunderstorms and more lightning-caused fires. Story continues below advertisement 'We are currently seeing fewer thunderstorms, because under a strong area of high pressure it is difficult for storms to develop,' said Darlington. 'A high acts like a pot lid, keeping the steam (moisture) low down. If that lid is removed, the moisture can rise and develop clouds from which storms can form. With the ridge moving out later this week there is a chance of rain and thunderstorms returning. 'After a hot spell like the one currently being experienced, the potential for thunderstorms with severity are more likely.'
