May 12, 2016 12:00 pm Update on the Horse River Wildfire.

Due to the lack of rain the wildfire hazard is VERY HIGH for the Fort McMurray Forest Area.Today the forecast is calling for cooler temperatures and winds from the northeast 15 to 20 kilometers per hour. For the long term temperatures are expected to increase and there is no rain in the forecast.

For information on the Fort McMurray Wildfire contact Leah Lovequist 1-780-849-0945 Leah.Lovequist@gov.ab.ca

For evacuation information please visit www.alberta.ca

Update on the Horse River Wildfire (MMF-009) as of 12:00 pm

Click here to view the May 12 12:00 pm Press Conference

The priorities for this wildfire are to protect homes, critical infrastructure, the safety of first responders, and to further limit wildfire spread.

The wildfire remains classified as out of control and is estimated to be 241,457 hectares in size. The wildfire did experience some growth yesterday however the majority of the increase in size was due to the Horse River wildfire (MWF-009) overrunning the wildfire that was burning to the east which was MWF-015. The far east side of the wildfire is approximately 13 kilometres from the Saskatchewan border.

Due to the warm and windy conditions yesterday,firefighters did see active fire behaviour. Airtankers and helicopters with buckets were effective on these flare ups.Firefighters continue to be successful in holding the wildfire from Timberlea, Thickwood, Anzac and Gregoire Lake Estates.

Today firefighters are seeing creeping ground fire and flare ups in the unburned trees. Firefighters and aircraft are working on these areas and their firefighting efforts are proving effective.Firefighters are also working in the forested area around the community extinguishing the many smouldering ground fires.

Under the current weather conditions, firefighters are expected to continue to make good progress on fighting this wildfire.

Dozers continue to build guard around the north at Parsons Creek North,Timberlea/Thickwood, west of highway 63 near Anzac and along the southern end of the wildfire. A dozer guard has been completed in the Gregoire Lakes Estate area.

Suncor and Syncrude made the decision to shut down their facilities to the north of Fort McMurray and evacuate their non-essential staff. More information on these evacuations is available through the Provincial Operations Centre. On May 6, the fire reached the Athabasca Oil Sands Nexen Long Lake plant site, but only light impact occurred.

Click here to view today's map.

We have over 700 firefighters and firefighting personnel, 31 helicopters and 13 airtankers working on this wildfire. Additional firefighters and various pieces of heavy equipment are expected to arrive over the next coming days.

Frequent updates on the Fort McMurray wildfire and evacuation are available by visiting www.alberta.ca

A Province-wide Fire Ban is now in place for the Province of Alberta

All open fires, including campfires and charcoal briquettes, are prohibited. The use of incendiary targets is also banned.

Portable propane fire pits and gas or propane stoves and barbeques designed for cooking or heating are allowed.

The fire ban applies to Alberta’s Forest Protection Area and all counties, municipal districts and special areas, and provincial parks and recreation areas. The fire ban does not apply to cities, towns, villages, summer villages, or federal lands.

For more information on Fire Advisories, Restrictions or Bans across the province, visit AlbertaFirebans.ca or call 1-866-FYI-FIRE (394-3473).

Province restricts off-highway vehicle recreational use

The OHV restriction will be in place until further notice. It applies to recreational use on public lands, including designated OHV trails, only.

It will not apply to agriculture, public safety or commercial/industrial users who operate OHVs for farming, enforcement or business purposes. The OHV restriction does not apply to the use of an OHV by 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.

Wildfire management staff, along with enforcement personnel, including Conservation Officers and Fish and Wildlife Officers, will enforce the temporary OHV recreational restriction immediately. OHVs include all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), four-wheel vehicles, motorcycles and related two-wheel vehicles and amphibious machines.

For more information contact:

Leah Lovequist - Wildfire Information Officer

1-780-849-0945

Leah.Lovequist@gov.ab.ca

Fort McMurray Area Update

May 12, 2016 12:00 pm Update on the Horse River Wildfire.

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