Frozen water and dry conditions a concern for central Alberta firefighting department

Alberta firefighters are bracing for another destructive wildfire season as still-frozen bodies of water present their own obstacle to firefighting.

John Kokotilo, regional fire chief and manager of emergency management for Lac La Biche County, said Tuesday that aircraft in the area would face difficulty sourcing water if a large fire were to erupt now.

"If we can get at them very quickly, which we have been luckily, so far, we can usually mitigate them at the head and get them under control," he said.

"But a large event may prove to be not so good."

It's a situation made more concerning as dry conditions and drought persist throughout Alberta, raising the risk of sparks quickly turning to flames. 

Kokotilo said in an interview with CBC's Edmonton AM on Tuesday that fires have already been picking up.

"Any spark right now, we've got a lot of dry grass in the area that could prove very, very, extremely hazardous," Kokotilo said.

He said precipitation is sorely needed — and fire safety vigilance from residents — or Alberta may face "an unprecedented season this year."

A fire advisory is currently in place for the Lac La Biche forest area, meaning new fire permits will not be issued for non-essential heavy fuel burning. Permits are being issued on a case by case basis.

Around 500 kilometres west, firefighters in the Grande Prairie region have also been busy battling the elements.

Grande Prairie Fire Service Deputy Fire Chief Jason Nesbitt said Monday that the department had answered half a dozen calls for service this last weekend, including to bush parties and an instance where a child was playing with a lighter.

"Even those things in the dry weather pick up this time of year," he said.

The county department has been called to 30 brush fires since March 30, the largest being 82 hectares.

Nesbitt said there's severe drought in the region and a high fire rating. One concern is when there's crossover — when the relative humidity drops below the temperature.