…For months, Albertans have been worrying about what the unusually dry winter with low levels of snowfall and a summer forecast of light rain. Would it mean a bad wildfire season? The past few years have been dry, but it’s been almost 25 years since Alberta has been this dry. Some counties have announced states of agricultural emergency. …There are five stages to Alberta’s drought plan… The province is currently in stage four, which means a “significant” number of water users — agricultural or industrial — are unable to withdraw their allotment of water. …With dry conditions it’s far easier for fires to begin, whether caused from a careless human or a lightning strike. Across the province, dozens of fires continued to smoulder over the winter….Already, Canadians are seeing haze from drifting wildfire smoke. Failed crops would send soaring food prices even higher. As the ancients did, Albertans and all of Canada may want to pray for rain.