Forest fires down drastically

The total area burned during this year’s forest fire season was down substantially from previous years.

Statistics from the Fire Management Centre at Indian and Northern Affairs indicate that there were 114 fires in the Yukon from mid-May to mid-September. That compares with year-end totals of 125 in 1987, 217 in 1986 and 110 in 1985.

The total area burned was 6,289 hectares. Last year, a startling 88,326 hectares burned, and 90,500 in 1986 and 15,000 in 1985.

The largest fire this year was in the Old Crow area, burning a total area of 1,600 hectares.

Firefighting cost the federal government $650,000 this year.

Lightning started 61 fires, while people were responsible for starting 53.

A total of 90 fires were fought and the rest were under observation. The Whitehorse District was the busiest in the territory, where 33 fires were fought.

The Dawson district was also busy. There were 29 fires actioned there and 12 in the Mayo district.

The Beaver Creek district was a fire-free district this year.

There was a mishap in August involving a helicopter working under contract at a fire near Dawson. The fire management centre reports that there were minor injuries and the cause of the crash is still under investigation. Other accidents among crew members throughout the summer were minor.

Twenty Yukon firefighters traveled to the western United States late in the fire season to help fight wildfires. All but three firefighters have returned to the Yukon as of today.

Other season-end activities include maintenance and storage of firefighting equipment, winterizing the Yukon’s 12 look-out towers and compiling fire statistics for the season.

Two CL-215 water bombers contracted by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada left the Yukon in early September. Two A-26 retardant tankers, owned by Airspray Contracting, were returned to their base in Edmonton in late August.

The centre employed seven full-time and 90 seasonal employees to locate and extinguish wildfires this season, plus aerial services companies contracted by the government.