Yukon Fire Damage 90,000 Hectares More Than Normal

Monday, 26 August 2019 14:48

Hunker Summit fire. Photo courtesy of Yukon Protective Services

While the actual number of fires the Yukon has had this year has not exceeded the average, the fires there have been are more destructive than normal.

This year, the Yukon has burned 90,000 more hectares in forest fires than average.

While the actual number of fires the Yukon has had this year has not exceeded the average, the fires there have been are more destructive than normal.

The yearly average number of fires the Yukon has is 113, and so far this year there has been 111. Comparatively, the number of hectares burned annually is around 160,000 on average, but this year fires have burned over 253,000 hectares.

Yukon Wildland Fire Information Officer Mike Fancie says higher-than-average hectares burned this year is due to larger wildfires that have been burning in the territory.

"There was one very large wildfire near Australia mountain. We've been calling it the Pigue Creek fire. That one itself was over 100,000 hectares large. We had several other sizable incidents in places like Tintina we had a 14,000 hectare fire... as well as the Hunker Summit fire which was also quite large, I believe that one was something in the vicinity of 15,000 hectares. There have been larger fires that have contributed to the size of the total burned areas this year."

According to Fancie, the higher hectare number means it's been a busy season for fire crews.

"This year we have responded to fires that have affected about 253,000 hectares. Against the 10-year average we have about 160,000 hectares so there has been a greater than average impact from wildfires in the Yukon this year. This means that our crews were pretty tied up in terms of dealing with both initial attack of smaller wildfires... as well as larger wildfires that required a more robust response that took on a more sustained commitment that took weeks, or in some cases a month or more."

As of August 22nd, there are 44 active fires burning in the territory and fire danger levels are sitting at moderate in Barlow, Mayo, Stewart Crossing, and Willow Creek. Additionally, fire levels in Beaver Creek, Braeburn, Burwash Landing, Carcross, Carmacks, Dawson, Faro, Haines Junction, Old Crow, Pelly Crossing, Ross River, Teslin, Watson Lake, and Whitehorse are all sitting at low.