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Promised NDP spending hikes and the costliest wildfire season on record are expected to inflate Alberta’s budget deficit to at least $5.9 billion this fall, the province said Monday in its first-quarter financial update.

The increased red ink is mainly the result of a $624-million injection in health, education, human services and advanced-education spending brought in by Premier Rachel Notley’s NDP government this spring.

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Disaster-assistance spending also jumped by $456 million to $757 million, the result of agricultural losses brought on by drought and widespread dry conditions that sparked the costliest wildfire season in the province’s history.

The quarterly update provides a snapshot of the province’s 2015-16 financial outlook from April through June, meaning it doesn’t capture the impact of the dramatic drop in oil prices that began in July.

“The first-quarter update highlights the difficult choices we have ahead as we build a budget that is prudent, while creating jobs and protecting the frontline services that Albertans count on. There is no doubt many Alberta families and businesses are feeling the effects of the dramatic drop in oil prices. That’s why our government is focused on building a plan for job creation and diversification of our economy,” Finance Minister Joe Ceci said in a statement.