It's looking like a summer with an above-average risk of forest fires, predict officials with Wildland Fire Management.

Officials held a pre-season briefing for the news media this morning.

They also emphasized, however, that forecasts can change rapidly if weather patterns don't come in as expected.

The long-range outlook is for a summer of temperatures slightly above normal, along with a little more rain than usual, said meteorologist Don Green.

The forecast is also calling for slightly less lightning, which reduces the chance of fires starting, he added.

But the snow has disappeared early, and with warmer temperatures and lower humidity expected for the remainder of May, dry burning conditions could develop quite quickly, he said.

Green pointed out the Dawson area has not received any of the rain or snow Whitehorse has seen in the last week.

And central Yukon is among the areas that are already experiencing forest conditions which are dryer than normal, he said.

"Certainly, there is the potential for an active fire season.”

Duty officer Dave Milne pointed out that beyond a month, however, it's a bit of a crap shoot when it comes to predicting the weather, and subsequently fire conditions.

"So what we are seeing for June and July has to be taken with a bit of a grain of salt,” he said.

Milne said the current fire danger rating in Whitehorse is low, as it is Dawson.

But with a couple of 14- and 15-degree days, the rating in central Yukon could jump up to moderate fairly quickly, he said.

At this time of year, he added, the forest fuels are generally still drying out and don't pose the same threat as the open areas of grass which have free of snow for some time and can be quite volatile.

Grass fires, he pointed, can move quickly, and cause problems, and are generally associated with kids and other human activity.

Milne said the Whitehorse Fire Department has already had a few calls about grass fires.

This year's fire management strategy includes as new full-time position for a risk management specialist to assist with preparations, he said.

The 2009 season was an above year and cost $13 million to $14 million to fight fires, above the $6 million-plus for the department's annual operating and maintenance costs, which include wages for seasonal summer staff.

The 2010-11 budget is set at $14 million, of which $6.5 million is earmarked for firefighting this season, $6.7 million for O & M and $850,000 for the FireSmart program, fire information officer George Maratos said this morning.

In the last 25 years, there have been an average of 148 fires annually, burning 191,800 hectares, or 474,000 acres.

Last summer, 230,512 hectares were burned by a total of 118 fires, 33 of which were caused by humans and 85 by lightning.

It was the worst year for forest fires since 2004, when 282 fires consumed 1.72 million hectares, almost 10 times the annual average.

Operations supervisor Mike Sparks said all but a couple of the 66 seasonal firefighters who make up the 22, three-man initial attack crews – 11 first nation, and 11 Yukon government – are now on the job.

The first of two air tanker groups to be stationed in the Yukon this summer will arrive in Whitehorse May 16, and the second will touch down in Dawson May 27.