Fire Weather Advisory – Wildfire Hazard Extreme
Continued hot, dry conditions and expected winds up to 50 kilometres an hour will keep the fire hazard at extreme levels tomorrow. A fire weather advisory has been declared for the area. Wildfires that start under these conditions can quickly grow very large and are very difficult to put out.
With 46 wildfires currently classified as out of control in Alberta and the strong likelihood of more wildfires caused by lightning, residents and visitors should take extreme caution in the forested areas of the province.
Permits are currently suspended and no new permits will be issued during this time.
The fire weather advisory is in effect immediately and will not be lifted until conditions change.
The forecast for tomorrow is for a high of 28 degrees with humidity of 30%, no precipitation, moderate lighting potential and winds W30 gusting to W50. Fires that start tomorrow will grow rapidly and be difficult to contain.
Please take extra precaution in the forest today on Friday. Avoid burning. Avoid quad use. Report smoke or fire to 310-FIRE.
We had five new wildfires today. One fire has been turned over to the landowner to extinguish. One is under control at .2 hectares west of Winifred Lake. Three are out of control. See below for more information on the out of control fires in the area:
LWF 192 started this morning and is out of control at 120 hectares. This fire is burning five miles west of LWF 175 and we expect these fires to join. Collectively these fires will be called the Winifred River Complex fires. The aerial ignition team was successful this afternoon in establishing a guard on the south east flank of the new fire. They were able to backburn and tie into a geographic feature intended to hold the fire from moving southward during tomorrow's wind event and from the anticipated north winds on Saturday. Helicopters with buckets worked on the west flank of the fire. The fire is moving east towards LWF 175. The photo below shows the billowing smoke this afternoon.
LWF 191 started this afternoon and is out of control at 40 hectares. This fire is in the Bovine area. Tankers worked on this fire this afternoon and into the evening. The red line you can see in the forest is the retardant line placed by the airtankers to keep the fire from progressing in that direction. As you can see from the photo, this fire is in the middle of miles and miles of trees. We hope to have airtankers and buckets working this fire early tomorrow morning before the winds pick up.
LWF 189 started today and is out of control at 12.0 hectares. This fire is in the Bovine area.
LWF 175 remains out of control at 12,500 hectares. No change is size today, however LWF 192 is expected to over run this fire tomorrow. Crews are working to construct dozer guard on the northwest side of the original fire. Further ignition on the new fire tomorrow will target non-burnt areas with the intent to limit spread when the winds get stronger in the early afternoon.
LWF 161 remains out of control at 8300 hectares. No change in size today. Dozers have been working to construct guard on the south/southeast side of the fire. Progress will likely be hampered by winds tomorrow. Guard is approximately 10% complete. Buckets and ground crews are working to extinguish the perimeter along the dozer guard.
One fire was extinguished today. We have 17 active fires in the area. One was turned over to the landowner, five are out of control and the balance are under control.
A Fire Advisory is in place for the Lac La Biche Wildfire Management Area. Due to extreme hazard conditions, we are no longer issuing fire permits and existing permits have been suspended. Safe campfires are currently allowed, but may be restricted in the coming days if conditions worsen. Keep campfires small and under control. Make sure they are completely extinguished before you leave them.
Sorry, but NO FIREWORKS.
Avoid or delay the use of quads and all terrain vehicles in the forest. If you must ride, stop frequently and clean grass buildup from your machine.
Parts of The Old Conklin Highway, or "The Miles" as it's called locally could be impacted by LWF 161. For your safety, stay a good distance south of Checkerboard Corner.
Thanks for doing your part to prevent wildfire.
For more information, please contact:
Leslie Lozinski
Forest Information Officer
780-623-9758