Fort McMurray Area Update

WILDFIRE HAZARD 

The wildfire hazard for the Fort McMurray Forest Area is MODERATE. The forecast is for widespread rain today amounting to 30-50 millimetres over the Horse River Wildfire but the northwestern portion of the Forest Area remains very dry. Wind speeds will be 30 kilometres per hour gusting up to 60 kilometres per hour. Warm dry conditions are expected to return on Friday, increasing the wildfire hazard - it will take a significant amount of rain to reduce the wildfire hazard. Firefighters still need your help preventing wildfires - do this by following the fire ban and off-highway vehicle restriction.

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 are not safe to walk near.
• Firefighters, heavy equipment and aircraft working in the area.

Image: Burned trees within the Horse Creek Wildfire getting doused by the rain today.

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. Be aware of what is allowed under the ban:

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

WILDFIRE UPDATE

Thanks to the hard work of firefighters, the Horse River Wildfire is the only wildfire in the Fort McMurray Forest Area. 

HORSE RIVER WILDFIRE UPDATE

Wildfire (MWF-009) 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 1,638 wildland firefighters and support staff, 80 helicopters, and 154 pieces of heavy equipment working to extinguish this wildfire. Assisting Alberta Agriculture and Forestry firefighters are firefighters from New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, Parks Canada, Prince Edward Island, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), Yukon 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.

SMOKE IN THE AIR

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 related to smoke inhalation from a wildfire, contact Alberta Health Link at by dialing 811 or visit albertahealthservices.ca.

DRONES OR UAVs DON'T HELP PUT OUT A WILDFIRE

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 a printable manual is also available. 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 7:00 p.m.

Shannon Stambaugh
Wildfire Information Officer
780-706-5336