Every wildfire in the province this year is suspected to be human-caused, according to Todd Loewen, Alberta’s Minister of Forestry and Parks. 

As announced Wednesday during Alberta’s weekly wildfire update, there are 63 fires that are actively burning in the province, with 172 already being extinguished this year. 

“We expect that almost all of the wildfires we’ve experienced so far this year are human-caused, given the point we’re at in the season and the types of weather we’re seeing,” Minister Todd Loewen stated.

Loewen further warned Albertans to be alert for local fire bans and restrictions placed on their neighborhoods to reduce the high number of man-made wildfires.  

“I urge you to assess your property for wildfire danger and take any preventive action you can to address these risks,” he said.

“This includes breaking up fuel sources that could ignite a structure, removing trees in close proximity to your home, and properly maintaining your gutters and roofs to rid the materials that could easily ignite such as leaves and dry needles,” Loewen added. 

NDP creates climate change plan to halt wildfires

Despite almost every wildfire in Alberta being “human-caused,” the NDP party continues to blame the occurring issue on climate change.

MLA Sarah Hoffman — and NDP leadership candidate — announced what she called “the most aggressive plan to respond to climate change in the history of this problem” through Twitter on Monday. 

“When I see what Alberta is facing, like catastrophic drought, unprecedented wildfires and air that isn’t safe for kids to breathe on a summer day, I know we have to take dramatic action,” she said in her post. 

Included in her “aggressive” climate plan, she aims to “ban all new coal mine development,” encourage Albertans to use electric vehicles (despite battery-powered buses putting Edmonton back by $82 million,) create youth jobs that focus on tackling climate change, and enforce the monitoring of emissions. 

Man charged for starting wildfire that liberals blamed on climate change

In January, a 22-year-old man from Nova Scotia was charged with starting the biggest wildfire recorded in the province’s history — and one that several liberals blamed on climate change.