Edson Forest Area

Edson Forest Area - June 08, 2025 - 9:30 pm

Wildfire situation

Since January 1, there have been 45 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 1,086 hectares (ha). 

View active wildfires, their locations and statistics on the interactive map on our wildfire status page. Wildfires are regularly assessed by experts and assigned a status to describe the behaviour of the wildfire, and how it is responding to suppression efforts under current and expected conditions. Visit our website to learn more.

Responding to new wildfires

The forest area has firefighters, helicopters and heavy equipment ready to respond for the increase in fire danger and new wildfire starts. Call 310-FIRE if you see smoke or flames and suspect it's a wildfire. Learn more about how to report a wildfire. The sooner you report it, the quicker our crews can respond.

ETO001 south of Edson

ETO001 is located south of the Town of Edson, west of 54 Street South, south of the train tracks. Alberta Wildfire assisted the Town of Edson with firefighters and helicopters. The wildfire is now classified as extinguished thanks to the quick response of aircraft and firefighters. 

Yellowhead Wildfire Complex | EWF030, EWF036, EWF038

EWF038 near Cynthia

EWF038 is located 12 km northeast of Cynthia and 10 km east of Highway 753. It is 7 km north of Highway 621, on the northeast corner of Sink Hole Lake. The wildfire is estimated to be 10 ha and classified as under control. Firefighter efforts have been successful and we don't expect this fire to grow. They continue searching for and extinguishing hot spots. 

EWF036 January Creek Wildfire

EWF036 is located on the south side of Peers on both sides of Highway 32. The size is estimated to be 738 ha and remains classified as out of control. The cause of the wildfire is under investigation.

In order to allow residents to return to their homes, firefighters focused on the areas of the wildfire closest to the community. They built containment lines with heavy equipment on the north side of the wildfire. Firefighters searched for and extinguished hot spots in these areas to prevent any flare ups near Peers. Flare ups occurred yesterday and again today on the northwest side of the wildfire. An island of unburnt vegetation and trees ignited on the northeast of January Creek, creating a column of smoke. This island is now fully wrapped with hose and firefighters are working on knocking down the flames and hot spots.

Aerial heat scanning was conducted and crews are working on priority hot spots. The majority of the heat was located in the interior of the wildfire perimeter on the northeast and southwest of the wildfire. Additional heat scans are planned for the following days to help focus firefighting efforts. 

Firefighters will continue to work along and within the perimeter, securing and re-enforcing the containment lines surrounding the wildfire. This process, called mop up, can take several days and sometimes weeks, depending on how many hot spots are found and how deeply they are burning in the ground. 

Today, similar conditions are expected with a high of 27C, relative humidity of 25% and winds southwest shifting from the northeast 10-15. This is expected to move wildfire activity towards the northwest. 

The wildfire escaped on the northwest perimeter this afternoon, an increase of 3 ha is expected. Airtankers were dispatched to assist with knocking down the flames to prevent further spread of the wildfire. Heavy equipment was also dispatched and have begun wrapping around the new section. They are available again if required. Firefighters will be on scene and ready to respond if an increase in fire behaviour does occur. 

Tomorrow, the area expects to see a high of 24C with 20% relative humidity and winds from the southeast 10-15 km/h, becoming west around 1 pm and shifting again from the northwest 25 gusting to 45 km/h. Trace amounts of rain is anticipated on Monday. Smoke will be visible from within the fire perimeter.

EWF030 Mercoal Creek Wildfire 

EWF030 is located 6 km west of Mercoal and 16 km southwest of Robb. The wildfire is now classified as being held which means that given current weather conditions and resources, the wildfire is not anticipated to grow past existing boundaries. The wildfire is estimated to be 320 ha in size and determined to be caused by lightning. 

Aerial heat scans were conducted and it identified very little heat. Firefighters continue extinguishing hot spots, which involves digging deep into the ground and dousing the smouldering fire with water. They'll continue this work until the hot spots are extinguished.

Evacuations and road closures

Visit Alberta Emergency Alert or download the app for information on current evacuation orders or alerts. You can also find information on wildfire preparedness on our website. For highway closures, visit Alberta 511. 

Safety near burnt areas

We urge residents and members of the public to use extra caution near burnt areas. There are many hazards that may not be visible, like deep burning ash pits and falling trees. Burnt trees are a serious hazard, and trees that may look healthy that have green needles or leaves could have burnt out roots under the ground and fall unexpectedly. Keep in mind that trees and powerlines could also fall on the road and block your vehicle. Do not approach powerlines as they could be energized.