Suzanne Oel – Division 4
Greetings! Sharing my News Update…
Spruce Budworm decline in 2022-2023 (short recap): I’d like to confirm the good news, that we see evidence of a decline in spruce budworm populations in our area! On the 2022.12.13 aerial survey map of spruce budworm populations, provided by the Government of Alberta, there are no indications in the Foothills County area for aerially detectible infestation. The 2021 infestation that spanned Foothills and Rocky View Counties has largely collapsed based on the aerial survey. We are hoping that trend continues in 2023. Small, residual pockets of defoliated spruce will likely still be seen from the ground in the coming years. This can be expected since spruce budworm is a natural part of the ecosystem in this part of the province and is always present at some level. View my January HCN article for more info. Visit the County’s weblink to see the map (at the end) and more information on dealing with spruce budworm: www.foothillscountyab.ca/services/agriculture/spruce-budworm
Mountain Pine Beetle: My gratefulness continues as I share this update from the GoA, also as of December 2022. The mountain pine beetle, which is the most destructive pine insect pest in Alberta, is showing a 94% decline in their populations from their most recent peak in 2019. The drop reflects the continuous efforts to slow the spread following the 2019 and 2020 winter seasons. Sustained periods of widespread, extreme cold increased beetle mortality and have helped to limit population growth. While a sharp, widespread decline in mountain pine beetle populations is welcome news for the province, the threat of resurgence still remains in some areas. Continued population pressure from Banff National Park, along with recent, relatively mild winters, mean that the Bow Valley, Kananaskis and Crowsnest Pass areas remain a priority for continued management and control. For more stats, visit: https://www.alberta.ca/mountain-pine-beetle-in-alberta.aspx
Wildfire Season begins March 1: While Oct. 31 marked the end of the legislated wildfire season in Alberta, it is essential that people remain alert and responsive to conditions. As 2023 rolls out, I am sharing a Government of Alberta 2022 news recap, below, as a reminder to everyone that wildfires can start and spread at any time of year, and now the official wildfire season is upon us again. While writing this article in February, there were 11 active wildfires recorded in Alberta, with 3 that had carried over from 2022. BTW, all burning activities in the Forest Protection Area, excluding campfires, require a fire permit: www.alberta.ca/get-a-fire-permit.aspx
“Albertans’ shared sense of responsibility for our forests has decreased the percentage of human caused wildfires in 2022, but there is still work to do. In the 2022 wildfire season, 56% of wildfires were caused by human activity, around 38% were caused by lightning and roughly 6% are still under investigation.”
“Diligence this summer resulted in a more than 10% decrease in human-caused wildfires and we recorded fewer wildfires than the previous year overall. Wildfire staff work tirelessly keeping our forests safe and it’s great to see that their efforts have been supported by the public’s responsible behaviour. Preventing wildfire is the duty of all Albertans,” stated Todd Loewen, Minister of Forestry, Parks and Tourism.
“In 2022, a total of 1,254 wildfires burned about 153,124 hectares. This is compared with the five-year average (2017-2021) of 1,110 wildfires burning more than 190,000 hectares. Thanks to manageable conditions here in Alberta, we were able to aid firefighting efforts in British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Alaska and Washington, and supported Parks Canada and the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. We did this by sending 90 firefighters, overhead staff and aircraft to partner agencies in need.”
“Alberta Wildfire staff regularly explore and test new developments in wildfire prevention, suppression, mitigation and smoke detection to assess how adopting technology can support a rapid response. This year, Alberta Wildfire tested technology that predicts and detects wildfires, and helps improve communication between staff. The results from the 2022 season will determine how these technologies might benefit the province’s efforts to fight wildfires.”
Download the Alberta Wildfire app to keep up to date on wildfires. Report a forestry wildfire by phone: 310-FIRE(3473). 9-1-1 works as well. Use the app to learn about fire advisories, restrictions and bans across the province, or report a wildfire on your Apple or Android device: open.alberta.ca/blog/?page_id=206
Check out FireSmart: www.firesmartalberta.ca/
Volunteers Needed: Hope you are able to take part in the local events in our beautiful county! Congrats to all Community Associations and their volunteers for making these fun events happen. Please consider joining with the teams in our community to make a difference and to add your valuable perspective and a helping hand. We need you!
For Other News & Updates:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CouncillorSuzanneOel/
Email: Suzanne.Oel@FoothillsCountyAB.ca
With best regards,
Suzanne
