Edmonton is in a drought situation. The city’s Kinnaird Ravine is littered with dried leaves, dead branches and withered grasses. Not a good scenario going into the summer season. This is prime tinder for a wildfire; all it takes is one spark.
This isn’t the only dry area in Edmonton. Throughout the city, about 30 percent of the natural land areas have advanced cases of dieback. Dieback happens when trees have an unusually high number of dead branches in their canopies. The dry brittle branches start at the top and then as the drought increases, move down the trees until only the lower branches have green leaves. Since trees require green leaves to produce food through photosynthesis, less green means less food and unhealthy, weak trees prone to fire and disease.
Edmonton has experienced ten years of drier than average weather, with the last two considered the driest two years in a row since the 1880s. This coupled with the fact that the ravines are full of vintage poplar and aspen trees, has the Edmonton Fire Department very nervous.
Fires in the river valley and ravine areas are tough to fight. The terrain is rugged and hard to access. Though the city has improved its fire fighting equipment, including acquiring lighter, more efficient hoses, it doesn’t change the fact that fires in this area are serious business. The debate now is whether this is just Mother Nature in action and we should just let things progress as She wishes, or to interfere by finding ways to hydrate the trees. Meanwhile, Edmonton residents are being pro-active about protecting their own properties by using fire resistant materials for roofing and siding.