Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency predicting average 2025 wildfire season
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) is anticipating an average wildfire season for 2025, after a near-record number of burns seen across the province last year.
'The overall picture for Saskatchewan indicates better conditions than we saw in 2024,' SPSA president Marlo Pritchard told media on Wednesday.
In 2024, Saskatchewan recorded the second-largest number of wildfire incidents and the second-largest recorded burn area in a decade, confirmed vice-president of operations Steve Roberts.
SPSA is reporting three active wildfires as of Wednesday, two north of Prince Albert and one at Waterhen Lake. There have been 23 fires recorded to-date for 2025, down from 34 in the same time frame last year.
A 2023 SPSA annual report notes the 10-year average number of fires was 419 with 591,950 hectares burned.
Roberts said the predictions are based on precipitation and weather conditions so far.
Fire crews have returned from other deployments or are in the process of being recalled and one air tanker crew is already in place. The SPSA is also set to receive the first of four new air tankers for its fleet renewal this May, to be operational later this summer.
SPSA modelling says the colder, wetter weather this April is expected to give way to more regular conditions in mid-May, bringing with it a start to thunderstorm season. Dry conditions are expected in central regions of the province as is overall hotter than usual temperatures this summer.
'About half of the wildfires in Saskatchewan in any given year are started by humans, with lightning being the cause of the remainder,' said Pritchard. 'As a result, I urge everyone to take extreme precautions during the spring and early summer months.'
Shawn Jaques, president of the Water Security Agency, also said spring runoff levels appear normal and 'significant' flooding is not expected this summer, with the exception of localized events.
Flows to Lake Diefenbaker were controlled this spring to maintain a higher water level than usual, by approximately 80 centimetres.
'Even with the drier conditions in the fall, there's no anticipated concerns with water supply for any communities at this time,' he said.
lkurz@postmedia.com
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