BE SAFE BY AVOIDING BURNED AREAS
For your safety and the safety of firefighters, please stay away from areas where firefighters are working as well as areas of burned forest.
- Burned trees - the wildfire has burned into the root systems of trees - they are now weakened and can fall without any wind. For your safety stay away from all burned areas.
- Smouldering ground fire and hot spots.
- Firefighters heavy equipment and aircraft working in the area.
Image: Tree roots exposed by Horse Creek Wildfire pose a potential safety hazard.
WILDFIRE HAZARD - EXPECT TO SEE SMOKE IN THE AIR
The wildfire hazard for the Fort McMurray Wildfire Area is HIGH. Tonight, rain is expected and is forecast to continue into tomorrow, with a risk of thunderstorms in the morning and afternoon. It will take a significant amount of rain to decrease the wildfire hazard.
The recent dry conditions have increased the potential for smoke to emerge within the existing boundaries of the Horse River Wildfire. Smouldering ground fires can produce smoke - creating smoke columns that are visible from the city and surrounding areas. These smouldering ground fires do not pose any risk to the city of Fort McMurray. For questions or concerns please call the PULSE line at 780-743-7000.
Firefighters are constantly monitoring the situation and are actively extinguishing any fires that emerge. Thank you for your help with reporting wildfires, if you are within the city of Fort McMurray, call 911, if you are outside of the city, call 310-FIRE. This map gives clarity on what phone number you should call when you see smoke in the forest.
If you have health concerns regarding smoke conditions, contact Alberta Health Link at by dialing 811 or visit albertahealthservices.ca.
WILDFIRE UPDATE
Since 5:30 p.m. there have been two new wildfires, in the Fort McMurray Forest Area. One has been extinguished and the other is currently classified as BEING HELD at 0.1 hectares in size. It is located 3.9 kilometres north west of McClelland Lake, 12 firefighters and two helicopters are working hard to contain this wildfire. Currently, no communities are threatened.
HORSE RIVER WILDFIRE UPDATE
Wildfire (MWF009) started May 1 and remains classified as OUT OF CONTROL. The size is currently estimated at 586,707 hectares (including the portion within Saskatchewan); it is not threatening any communities at this time.
Agriculture and Forestry has 2,082 wildland firefighters and support staff, 80 helicopters, and 169 pieces of heavy equipment working to extinguish this wildfire. Assisting Alberta Agriculture and Forestry firefighters are firefighters from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, Parks Canada, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), Yukon, United States and Mexico.
Firefighters, aircraft and heavy equipment are pre-positioned in the Fort McMurray Forest Area and are ready to respond to any new wildfires.
For information about the provincial wildfire situation visit wildfire.alberta.ca.
A fire ban remains in effect for portions of northeastern Alberta and the Fort McMurray Forest Area. The fire ban applies to Alberta’s Forest Protection Area in the Fort McMurray Forest Area and portions of the Lac La Biche Forest Area.
Prohibited
- All open fires including; wood campfires, charcoal briquette fires, turkey fryers, and tiki torches
- The use of incendiary targets
Allowed
- Gas or propane stoves/barbeques and portable propane fire pits that are CSA approved and UL certified
- Catalytic or infrared style heaters
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo has a fire ban in effect that includes the Urban Service Area of Fort McMurray.
Check albertafirebans.ca for the location of fire bans, restrictions and advisories or call 1-866-FYI-FIRE (394-3473).
Recreational use of off-highway vehicles (OHV) is restricted on all public lands and provincial parks, including designated OHV trails.
The restriction does not apply to agriculture, public safety, commercial/industrial or Indigenous peoples when exercising a right recognized and affirmed under Part II of the Constitution Act, 1982 or a right under section 12 of the Natural Resources Transfer Agreement. The restriction will remain in effect until further notice.
For more information visit alberta.ca\emergency.cfm
DON'T MIX DRONES AND UAVs WITH WILDFIRES
When you fly a drone or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) over or near an Alberta wildfire, you’re breaking the law and endangering firefighting personnel and may cause firefighting operations to stop.
Before you fly a drone or UAV, make sure you understand the rules that apply and follow them. Not doing so could cost you up to $25,000 in fines and impact firefighting efforts.
For more information, please visit: tc.gc.ca/SafetyFirst
FORT MCMURRAY RE-ENTRY INFORMATION
For details on the voluntary, phased re-entry please see the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo’s website for all the details: www.RMWB.ca.
For more information on the Horse Creek Wildfire, you can also call 1-866-916-INFO (4636). The phone line will be update daily at 10:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
INFORMATION ON BEAR AWARENESS
For information about the Alberta BearSmart program, visit Alberta BearSmart or see the manual. Any bear concerns can be reported to the 24-hour Report a Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800.
Unless conditions change, your next update will be June 9 at 10:30 a.m.
Shannon Stambaugh
Wildfire Information Officer
780-706-5336