Alberta Agriculture and Forestry and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo continue to work on extinguishing smoldering ground fires in the forested areas. Smoke and haze will be visible in the community, but firefighters are working hard to extinguish these areas. Smouldering ground fires do not pose a threat to the community. For your safety and the safety of our firefighters, please stay away from any burned areas and wherever there is active firefighting.
Be cautious of the following in areas of burned forest:
- burned trees, the roots of burned trees are weakened and can fall without any wind
- smoke due to areas of smouldering ground fire and hot spots
- firefighters, heavy equipment and aircraft working in the area
SMOKE ISSUES
Conditions will continue to be smokey in the Forest McMurray Forest Area due to areas of smouldering ground fire. If you have health concerns, please contact Alberta Health Link at 811 or visit albertahealthservices.ca.
HORSE RIVER FIRE CONNECTION
The wildfire has experienced minimal growth and is estimated to be 581,695 hectares in size (including SK). Firefighters and heavy equipment continued to make steady progress and over 550 kilometres of dozer guard has been completed.
Agriculture and Forestry has 2,146 wildland firefighters and support staff, 80 helicopters, and 219 pieces of heavy equipment. Assisting Alberta Agriculture and Forestry firefighters are firefighters from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, Parks Canada, Nova Scotia, PEI, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), South Africa, Yukon and the U.S.
Firefighters and aircraft are pre-positioned in the Fort McMurray Forest Area and are ready to respond to any new wildfires.
IF YOU'RE IN THE SKY, WE CAN'T FLY
When you fly a drone or 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 your 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
A voluntary, phased re-entry for the safe return of Fort McMurray residents is underway. Please check out the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo website for all the details.
FIRE BAN
A fire ban is 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
- Propane barbeques and stoves
- Catalytic or infrared style heaters
Check albertafirebans.ca for the location of fire bans, restrictions and advisories or call 1-866-FYI-FIRE (394-3473).
OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE (OHV) RESTRICTION
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.
Check emergency.alberta.ca for more information on the OHV restriction.
For more information contact: Victoria Ostendorf, Wildfire Information Officer 780-841-9387