Fire Season In Canada

[Heli Ops]

Does anyone known when the fire season starts and finishes. Obviously each year is different but wanted to get a general idea of when it starts and finishes.

Thanks

Heli Ops

 

[MagSeal]

This might not help you, and it might throw your season poll off, but a few years back, a pilot I worked with in northern alberta was out with a forestry crew in november and spotted some smoke, and found it to be a tree stump smouldering. They planned on going out the next day to put it out with a crew, but were delayed by three days due to heavy snowfall. Once they finally went out, they found that not only had the fire kept smouldering during the snowfall, but it also got bigger. I guess some fires, just don't want to quit out of season....

The pilot is a member on here, if he see's this he may be able to add better details.

There was also a fire early on in the season near hinton alberta where they couldn't bucket because there was ice still on all the lakes, (maybe some guys might have more info on that too).

 

[southoftheborder]

Maggy, I remember that. It was a lightening strike that had laid dormet for quite some time. As I recall the bambi bucket kept freezing up and we had to bang it on the ground to get it to work. I think we were also dropping it on the ice to break the crust so we could get some water. A those days how they bring back fond memories. Hell some hot spots will smolder all winter and pop up the next spring. Gotta love mother nature.
SOB

 

[Harmonic_Vibe]

The season "generally" starts in early May (give or take a month) and "generally" is done by mid-september, although in exceptional years can run well into October. I use "generally" a lot because there are numerous exceptions, but these ranges hold if you look back over the last couple of decades.

HV

 

[mawddawg]

how has the season been in eastern Canada for fires this year much on the go? Above or below average?

 

[t34ag]

We had one big fire in the Moncton area but since then you couldn't light a fire with a blow torch :down:

 

[PIC]

The fire season in Saskatchewan was one of the slowest ever. The province had several large fires up in the far north that were under observation but the southern portion of the forest saw little to no fires at all.

Today is the last day of our 90 day contract and we didn't even break the 60 hour mark for the duration. How is that for lack of activity? All summer, we fought boredom much more than we fought fires... Well, there's always next year...

 

[DGP]

Magseal....that fire in Alberta in Nov. was also actioned by a buddy of mine flying a Midwest 204...they got lost in the snow storm...running low on fuel they had to park in a swamp overnight...just about froze to death sleeping in the bell hotel...had to call in a machine in the a.m. for fuel...me thinks that was the last time he worked for AFS....his choice I believe....think they were working out of MacMurry.....

 

[MagSeal]

I didn't hear the other side of that.
I pity him, the snow was coming down pretty heavy. I'd spent a night out in the arctic, so I know exactly how he felt.
Good thing he knew when to call it quits and cozy up to his crew for comfort instead or risking it further.