Fighting wildfires makes them worse, expert says. Here's how

Tuesday, July 14, 2015, 2:47 PM - Is all the blood, sweat and tears put into fighting the wildfires in western Canada causing more harm than good? One expert from the area thinks that might be the case.

Dry conditions and warm weather have combined to create an unusually active wildfire season in B.C. and the Prairies, leading crews to work around the clock to contain the flames, but some experts worry it's the current strategies that may be the root cause.

Lori Daniels, an associate professor at the University of British Columbia and an expert in forest fires, is calling for a different way to manage forests -- one that puts a larger emphasis on prevention and fire hazard reduction.

Daniels told The Globe and Mail that putting out fires quickly could be creating more hazardous conditions.

Her research suggests that prior to the adoption of modern fire suppression techniques, fires burned more frequently but less with less intensity.

RELATED: 13 facts about the wildfires in western Canada

She believes the current practice of putting out fires quickly doesn't give needles and branches time to burn off. Those small fragments of debris remain in the area, and serve as 'fuel' for additional, more intense, fires.

“In our dry forests, where we have suppressed all fires, we have actually removed some fires from the landscape that would have had a positive impact by maintaining forest structures that are more open, with less fuel,” she told the Globe and Mail.

Daniels believes management crews should allow small fires to burn off undergrowth and encourage the growth of forests with different types of trees -- some of which may be more resistant to fires than others.

But that's easier said than done:

According to Daniels, her suggested methods conflict with timber production and could put a dent in logging profits.

ACTIVE WILDFIRE SEASON

More than a hundred wildfires are burning in B.C. 

Alberta has seen 1409 fires so far this year, well over the five-year average of 893 fires. There have been 623 wildfires so far this season in Saskatchewan, compared to 223 in 2014.

Thousands have been evacuated.

Local economies are said to be taking a hit with prolonged fires grinding some local tourism industries to a halt.

Air quality advisories remain in place for parts of northern Alberta and northern Saskatchewan due to smoke from the fires. According to Weather Network meteorologist Brett Soderholm, unsettled conditions for Alberta and Saskatchewan this week should bring much-needed rain to northern parts of the Prairies which may help combat active fires.

Sources: The Globe and Mail | BC Government | Alberta Government | Saskatchewan Government