A Fire Advisory remains in effect for the High Level Forest Area. Use caution within the Forest Protection Area. To report a wildfire, call 310-FIRE (3473). The Jackpot Creek fire is Under Control (UC).
HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA UPDATE | JULY 21, 2019 AT 11:00 A.M.There are currently 16 active wildfires in the High Level Area. Of these fires, 1 are Out of Control (OC), 12 are Being Held (BH) and 3 are Under Control (UC).
(See below for details on the Chuckegg Creek wildfire). Click here for a map of all fire locations and their status within the High Level Forest Area.
Wildfires of note:
- Fire (HWF138) is located 40 km north northwest of Rainbow lake and is classified as Being Held (BH) at an estimated size of 2 hectares. There are 4 firefighters and 1 helicopter working on this fire. There is no threat to the community at this time.
- Fire (HWF135) is located 22 km north of Rainbow Lake and is classified as Being Held (BH) at an estimated size of 0.8 hectares. There are 4 firefighters and 1 helicopter working on this fire. There is no threat to the community at this time.
- Fire (HWF134) is located 42km south of Fox Lake and is classified as Being Held (BH) at an estimated size of 4 hectares. There are 8 firefighters and 2 helicopters working on this fire. There is no threat to the community at this time.
- Fire (HWF127) is located 26 km west of Garden River and is classified as Being Held (BH) at an estimated 60 hectares. There are 25 firefighters, heavy equipment and 3 helicopters working on this fire. There is no threat to any communities at this time.
- Fire (HWF126) is located 20 km northwest of Zama City and is classified as Being Held (BH) at an estimated size of 45 hectares. There are 33 firefighters and 3 helicopters working on this fire. There is no threat to any communities at this time.
- Fire (HWF-113) is located 62 km southeast of the Town of Rainbow Lake and is Being Held (BH) at 132 hectares. There are 26 firefighters and 3 helicopters working on this fire. There is no risk to communities at this time.
- The Jackpot Creek wildfire (HWF-066) is located north of Lutose and is Under Control (UC) at 74,331 hectares. There are 30 firefighters, 4 helicopters and 9 pieces of heavy equipment working on this fire.
NOTE: Unless conditions change, the next update will be at 7:00 p.m. on July 21, 2019.
Firefighters, helicopters, airtankers and heavy equipment are positioned throughout the High Level Forest Area to respond to any new wildfire starts.
Small spot fires south of Devil Lake - July 20, 2019
CHUCKEGG CREEK WILDFIRE UPDATE | JULY 21, 2019 AT 11:00 A.M.
- Last recorded size: 343,387 hectares
- Fire perimeter: 604.16 km
- There are 626 firefighters and support staff, 36 helicopters and 61 pieces of heavy equipment fighting this wildfire.
Visibility from smoke may be scattered along Highway 35 south and Highway 58 east of High Level. As a result, please use caution as you're traveling through these areas.
Please be advised: smoke will continue to persist over surrounding communities. If you have any health concerns, please contact Alberta Health Services for assistance.
Expect similar conditions as we've seen over the last couple days, as more extreme fire behaviour conditions are anticipated for the more active portions of the Chuckegg Creek wildfire. The focus remains along the horseshoe south of Devil Lake and Surette Lake as firefighters, heavy equipment and helicopters will look to finish wrapping up the fingers northwest of the Peace River.
The planned controlled ignition operations will look to take place again later this afternoon, but only if the right conditions allow for it. Tying in that portion of the horseshoe to the west edge of the Peace River will drastically reduce the threat of the fire crossing the Peace River, so ignition specialists will keep a close eye on the window to burn today.
Crossover conditions are expected again today and should continue into next week. Temperatures should reach 29 degrees with a relative humidity of 25-30% and winds coming from the south at 15 km/hr. Smoke will persist in areas around High Level and surrounding communities as light winds won't allow the smoke to leave the area quickly.
Extreme fire behaviour is expected to continue for the next several days, with similar temperatures and relative humidity levels extending into next week. Please remain vigilant and aware of your surroundings while traveling near the fire.
US firefighter cutting down a burned tree - July 20, 2019
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Did you know?
Water delivery to various parts of the fireline is crucial to effective suppression efforts. So far to date, our crews have used a total of 280 km of hose!
Although the Chuckegg Creek wildfire has not completely burned the entire interior of the fire, the current perimeter is over 610 km around - that's like driving from Edmonton to Calgary, and back!
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Although the ignition burn is taking place near the water delivery system on the eastern side, it's still proving to be a very effective tool in limiting spread along the southern portion of the horseshoe. Large pumps, water tanks, a large water reservoir and sprinklers are being utilized for sprinkler operations and will be running 24/7 to help flood the area where the fire is burning in deep peat moss. Having this operation in place will continue to aid firefighters with direct attack on the fire perimeter.
Fire activity is ongoing within the perimeter of the fire, however all of the containment lines on the west, south, and southeast sides are holding strong. Firefighters are working hard with direct attack, extinguishing hotspots and mopping-up 100 feet inward south of Highway 58. Hose lay, mop-up and extinguishing hotspots continues on the southwest side, as firefighters are making great progress securing that side. In the southern end, high-altitude scanning continues to aid firefighters in finding priority area hotspots to address and extinguish.
The Chuckegg Creek wildfire will continue to be an active wildfire situation. As a result, smoke may be present along nearby highways and communities. Please use caution as you travel through these areas to ensure the safety of firefighters and community residents.
FIRE ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA
A Fire Advisory remains in effect due to the hotter temperatures, no significant rainfall and the ongoing wildfire activity within the High Level Forest Area.
Current short term permits will not be renewed and all permit holders with root rows/root piles need to ensure all piles are extinguished prior to the expiry of their permit.
- Safe campfires are currently allowed
- Current seasonal permits issued until October 31, 2019 will remain valid
- New permits will only be issued for smudges and burn barrels
To get a fire permit please call 780-926-5407 and leave a detailed message including your home address, burn location and what you plan to burn. A patrolman will contact you to arrange a site visit.
Visit albertafirebans.ca for more information or download the new Alberta Fire Bans mobile app.
ALERTS AND EVACUATIONS | BE PREPARED, STAY INFORMED
Download the Alberta Emergency Alert app or visit their website by clicking here. You can also check with the county, the town or your local community to see if new alerts or evacuation orders have been issued.
ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION
To stay informed on all road closure information visit the Alberta Transportation website or download the mobile app.
SMOKE ISSUES
Smoke from wildfires in northern Alberta has caused poor air quality and reducing visibility at times. Winds will continue to shift bringing smoky conditions. For health related smoke issues, please visit Alberta Health Services.
PUBLIC SAFETY - WILDFIRE OPERATIONS
During an active wildfire, the highest priority is the safety of the public and wildfire personnel. Please refrain from entering areas of active wildfire suppression. If you encounter aircraft or helicopter bucketing operations on a water body please move your boat to shore.
The airspace around a wildfire is restricted via NOTAM in a radius of 9 kilometres to an altitude of 3,000 feet above ground level. It is illegal to operate any aircraft not associated with wildfire suppression within the restricted area, including drones. Do not fly drones or UAVs near or within the perimeter of an active wildfire. When a drone is near a wildfire it endangers firefighting personnel and important aerial firefighting operations will be grounded. Those caught in violation can be subject to an automatic court appearance and a fine of up to $100,000.
Kevin Kuhn | Wildfire Information Officer
High Level Forest Area
Phone: 780-843-5846
1-866-FYI-FIRE
k.kuhn@mistikenvironmental.com
Matt Bell | Wildfire Information Officer (Chuckegg Creek wildfire)
Phone: 587-986-4985
1-866-FYI-FIRE
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