Fire season quieter than last year

With the Ministry of Natural Resources’ fire season officially over as of Oct. 31, the numbers show the West Fire Region had a much more quiet season than in recent years.
The region saw a total of 218 fires, consuming 1,214.8 hectares—down considerably from 479 fires blackening 32,852 ha in 2007.

Since April 1, the Fort Frances District saw a total of just 24 fires, consuming 31.2 ha. This was lower than in 2007, when 94 fires charred 39 ha, which, in turn, was far less than the 191 blazes reported here in 2006.
“That’s the lowest number of fire starts since 1993, where we had 21,” local MNR fire management supervisor Harrold Boven said yesterday.
Looking at the big picture, forest fire numbers have been declining here over the past couple of decades. While there certainly has been busy years, like 2006 (191 fires), 2003 (104), 1998 (170), 1997 (122), 1995 (186), and 1988 (238), the average number of fires, and the hectares burned, is dropping.
The 22-year average from 1987-2008 is 96 forest fires per year. But the 10-year average has seen that number drop to 70.
“Over the last 22 years, we’ve almost seen a decrease, in a statistical way, of over 20 less fires. We have been seeing fewer fires per year,” noted Boven.
From a hectares viewpoint, 1,300 ha was the average area burned over the past 22 years. Over the last 10 years, it has averaged 602 ha (Boven did say future statistics regarding hectares will be affected somewhat due to the recent prescribed burning that has been conducted in Quetico Provincial Park).
Boven attributed the decrease in forest fire activity to a number of factors.
“With the municipal agreements, the residents in the municipalities are a lot more fire-conscious,” he noted. “They’re not doing as much burning in the agricultural areas as they did before.
“There’s also the fact municipal fire departments have increased fire prevention efforts at the local communities because they’re the first ones to respond,” he added. “There’s a reduction there.”
Boven also said the media is effective in communicating fire safety and restrictions in the region, and thanked the public, whether they be loggers, residents, or tourists, for their concern regarding fire regulations and keeping the number of fire starts down.
Another factor is weather, with Boven saying it’s possible there’s simply been less lightning activity over the years. Usually 60-70 percent of forest fires are caused by lightning strikes.
But just because there hasn’t been as many forest fires doesn’t mean MNR fire personnel haven’t kept busy. Boven said fire crews received extra training this season, helped upgrade the forward attack base on Vedette Lake, groomed trails, did some work at the Dance Fire Memorial, assisted with firefighting efforts in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta in June, and more.
They now will conduct slash pile burning (although more of this slash will be used in the new biomass burner here), prepare equipment for winter, conduct building maintenance, prepare reports and analyze statistics stemming from the 2008 season, plan prescribed burns for next year, meet with municipalities and First Nations to go over fire agreements, engage in pilot projects (like attaching an infrared camera on a communications tower south of Atikokan, which will be able to pick up fire starts for a 12-km radius), and inspect sawmills.
The personnel hiring process for the 2009 fire season will start in the New Year.
Elsewhere in West Fire Region, Thunder Bay District had 47 fires, burning up 561.2 ha, while Kenora District had the second-most number of fires (41) consuming 23.2 ha.
Sioux Lookout District had 37 fires, burning up 273.7 ha, while Greenstone (Nipigon) District had 35 fires, consuming 47 ha.
Red Lake District saw 19 fires, charring 276.3 ha, while Dryden District had 15 fires, with only 2.2 ha consumed.
There currently is just one active fires in the West Fire Region—Kenora Fire #39 (a 1.3-ha blaze). This also is the only forest fire still burning in the entire province.
On a broader scale, the province saw a total of just 329 fires, burning 1,312.9 ha, in 2008. This is a far cry from the 1,098 fires in 2007 which consumed 40,639 ha, and even that was fewer than half the number of fires reported in 2006.
The amount of hectares burned also dropped from 149,509 in 2006 to 40,639 in 2007.
The MNR fire season runs from April 1 through Oct. 31. But just because it’s officially over, district residents still need to check with the local fire officials or the ministry if they plan to do any burning as per the Forest Fire Prevention Act.