Residents of the Northwest Territories should expect a relatively average wildfire season this year, with a risk of extreme fires around Great Slave Lake, according to the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 manager of fire operations.

Richard Olsen made the comments as part of an update on the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 ongoing forest fire season on Monday, June 20.

SA国际影视传媒淚n comparison to other years, the NWT is looking to be a little bit above average in terms of potential severity,SA国际影视传媒� said Olsen, adding that thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a particular risk of an SA国际影视传媒渆xtreme type of fire behaviour centring around Great Slave Lake.SA国际影视传媒�

Although the territory has surpassed the 10-year average number of fires for this point in the year, the total affected area is below average for the same time period: There have been 36 fires so far in 2022, compared to a 10-year average of 28 as of June 20, while about 2,180 hectares have been burned, compared to the 10-year average of 2,300 as of June 20.

There were 139 wildfires last year, during what Olsen called a SA国际影视传媒渟lightly below average fire season.SA国际影视传媒�

He said the Beaufort Delta region and the South Slave around Hay River had a significant amount of snowfall this winter, reducing the chances of fires in those areas. Certain areas in the Sahtu region and around Hay River also have significant amounts of standing water. The Sahtu has otherwise had an average fall and average start to the spring.

By contrast, Olsen said the Dehcho region started out relatively wet, but some areas are starting to dry out significantly.

To deal with fires both ongoing and potential, the territory has 33 fire crews, plus four air tanker groups with a fifth on the way. At the time of the briefing, only two fires in the territory were being actioned: one southeast of Fort Resolution, and another near Trout Lake.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) spokesperson Mike Westwick said the department is also undertaking SA国际影视传媒渙ne of the most aggressive campaigns that weSA国际影视传媒檝e ever doneSA国际影视传媒� on fire prevention.

For residents of communities with extreme fire warnings, Olsen says there are a number of measures they should take in addition to halting open-air fires, including trimming and watering their lawns, keeping wood and other flammable materials away from their homes, and having a household safety plan.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople should always be vigilant in understanding that fire is both a natural part of our environment and our ecology, but it also has the chance to affect peopleSA国际影视传媒檚 values, and should be respected as such,SA国际影视传媒� said Olsen.