Saint John firefighters say recent rainfall isn’t enough to reduce the wildfire risk, which remains high due to prolonged dry conditions.

Tyler Embree, president of the Saint John Firefighters Association, said while any precipitation is welcome, the ground remains dangerously dry.

“Any rain is great, but everything being so dry, it would be quite easy to probably walk in your yard right now and kick it a couple times and see some dust come up,” Embree said.

He added that it would take three to five days of steady, moderate rainfall to make a meaningful impact on the risk level.

Heavy downpours tend to run off rather than soak into the ground, he said.

Embree also expressed concern about the number of outdoor fire calls crews are still responding to, including a recent brushfire in Crescent Valley, but it has since been fully extinguished.

“For every day that goes by that we don’t get a sustained amount of rain… the wildfire risk continues to grow,” Embree said. “If it’s stay out of the woods, we’ve got to stay out of the woods.”

Residents are being reminded to follow all burn restrictions, avoid wooded areas, and refrain from activities that could spark fires, such as campfires or barbecues.

Embree said staying diligent now will help preserve the city’s natural spaces for the future.

“We will get some rain and we’ll be in a better situation,” he said.

“But let’s make sure that we stay diligent now so the woods are there when we want to go back and see them.”