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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Rainfall over the past two weeks has provided only "temporary relief" as dangerously dry weather conditions remain across the NWT, according to Roger Fraser, manager of forestry for the North Slave.

A lightning strike was blamed for a fire near Birch Lake, about 65 km south of Behchoko, has burned approximately 24,000 hectares of wilderness since June 15. The fire is listed as under control, and is currently the only fire burning in the North Slave region. - photo courtesy of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources

"The rain definitely helps and keeps them under control, but the ground is still really dry out there," Fraser said.

"We don't want people to think that just because we have had some rain recently that they can relax."

The current fire danger level around Yellowknife is low, but it's risen to extreme a few times this season, and has led to fire bans in the city and nearby territorial campgrounds.

Judy McLinton, public affairs and communications officer for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said 19 fires have been recorded in the North Slave region since June 1.

Rainfall in Yellowknife was minimal in June.

"It's going to take a lot of rain to bring the fire conditions down to manageable levels. We haven't had as much as people think," said McLinton.

According to Environment Canada, the city received approximately 34.2 millimetres of rain during the month of June, and only three days recorded substantial amounts of precipitation. Climate data records from Environment Canada for Yellowknife in June indicate the highest amount of rainfall in the city occurred on June 13, when more than 12 millimetres of precipitation was recorded. In June 2010, Environment Canada recorded 43.6 millimetres of rain.

July's weather has showed signs of improvement after the city received close to 10 millimetres of rain on Monday, but Fraser remains very concerned when he talks about the nature of the weather conditions in the North Slave region for the summer of 2011.

"It's pretty scary. All it will take is a few days of hot, dry conditions after a rainfall and we will be right back up in the fire danger zone," Fraser said.

"With the lack of precipitation in the forecast over the next few weeks, and the dry, hot, sunny weather, it doesn't look too good."

Fraser says low snowfall levels during the past winter are partially responsible for contributing to the dangerous conditions of the 2011 fire season in the Yellowknife area.

"We had 30 per cent less snowfall this winter, and what little snow we had evaporated extremely quickly, so we have had no relief from the dry conditions this year," he said.

Fraser adds the dry conditions caused by the lack of moisture in the ground have led to hazardous conditions as fires are burning deep into the "duff layer," the layer of earth that normally protects the forest floor from being damaged.

"When fires burn deep into the ground as we have seen this season, it creates very dangerous conditions for firefighters to work under," he said.

"The roots of the trees burn and falling trees have been a problem when firefighters are trying to put fires out this year. We train the teams to be very careful when they are working; burnt holes in the ground are a big concern too."

Fraser said there is no moisture in the ground right now, creating a constant danger of the fire looking as though it is out, when it is still burning underground.

"The weather this year has been very unpredictable. In Slave Lake, for example, dry conditions led to the town being burned to the ground, and now it's completely flooded," he said.

"We were glad to see the rain this week; it means good things for everyone -- the people, the animals and the land, and our (firefighting) teams get a rest because it keeps the fire levels down, but we are going to need a lot more precipitation this season to keep the fire danger down for good," said Fraser.

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