Wood Buffalo a war zone in battle against fires

Major fires continue to burn in Wood Buffalo National Park in what some firefighting veterans are calling the worst forest fire season in half a century.

Since the beginning of the summer 51 fires have destroyed 167,493 hectares of forest in the park, Canada's largest, which straddles the N.W.T.-Alberta border.

Throughout July the skies over Wood Buffalo National Park sounded like a war zone, with helicopters hauling gear, water and crews out to blazes, and spotter planes patrolling constantly.

Three more fires broke out on the weekend, including one near the area where whooping cranes nest.

The last time a fire threatened the endangered birds in 1971, a state of emergency was declared and the armed forces arrived to provide assistance.

"Fire 50 started yesterday," says Mike Keizer, a communications manager with Wood Buffalo National Park. "They had crews bucketing it and crews on the ground yesterday on that one. Waiting for an update today on its status. Don't know how successful they were getting that one under control."

"[We] won't hear until tonight because they'll be working on it today."

According to Keizer any new fires are being suppressed immediately where possible.

But the battle has stretched the park's human and financial resources to the limit, with some crews working 26 days in a row with few breaks.

But Keizer says there's some good news in the forcast.

A warm, moist system called the "pineapple express" is moving in from Hawaii. It's expected to bring rain later in the week.