As of August 18 there have been 513 wildfires in the province– the five-year average is over double that at 1,218.

The fire ban, which covered the Forest Protection Area, provincial parks and protected areas, was put into place in mid-April as a measure to slow the start of the wildfire season.

The Alberta government has issued a fire ban that covers about 60 per cent of the province, in hopes of slowing the start of wildfire season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, wildfire season begins one month earlier in Alberta than in any other province.

An aggressive wildfire in northern Alberta that forced people out of their homes for a week in late May has finally been brought under control.

According to the Twin Cities Branch of the National Weather Service, the lack of sunlight in America's Upper Midwest can be credited to Alberta's wildfire season. 

A mandatory evacuation order was issued for parts of Mackenzie County in northwestern Alberta Monday afternoon as an out-of-control wildfire burned in the area.

Shortly before 4:30 p.m,, Strathcona County RCMP said a grass fire was burning in the area of Range Road 233 and Township Road 522.

Crews from several detachments continued to battle a grass fire near Range Road 220 just south of Township Road 554 on Thursday.

The region is starting to heat up with the mercury reaching about 20 C on Monday.