The wildfire hazard for tomorrow is HIGH.
We expect the severe weather advisory to be lifted tomorrow at noon. The cold front crossed the area this afternoon bringing strong sustained winds with gusts up to 50 km/hr. As today wore on, the temperatures dropped and the humidity levels picked up - both very good things for the wildfires. Although precipitation was patchy, some areas did receive limited rain. The forecast for tomorrow is for a high of 20 degrees, humidity of 45%, chance of precipitation, and winds NW20G35. Winds will still be an issue for the fires tomorrow, however the lower temperature and higher humidity have helped move the hazard down to HIGH.
Smoke was an issue today and we expect it to continue to present problems tomorrow. Saturday's northwest winds can be expected to push smoke southeast into communities. The Old Conklin Road was closed at kilometer 40 late this afternoon, due to smoke impacting visibility. Campers are advised to avoid "The Miles" this weekend.
Permits are currently suspended and no new permits will be issued during this time. No fireworks. No burning except a campfire at this time.
We had two new wildfires today. One has been extinguished and the other is out of control at 5 hectares. This fire is in the Kirby area. Facilities in the area have been notified and nothing is threatened at this time. Airtankers were working this fire earlier this evening. Helicopters with buckets and ground crews will work this fire for several more hours tonight.
Here's a recap of other out of control fires in the area:
LWF 192 remains out of control at 240 hectares. Thsi fire doubled in size today, pushed eastward by the strong winds associated with the cold front crossing the area. The aerial ignition lines constructed yesterday were successful in holding the south east flank of the fire against the winds. Way to go team - ysterday's hard work paid off! Helicopters with buckets worked on the west flank of the fire. The fire is moving east towards LWF 175.
LWF 175 remains out of control at over 14,000 hectares. This fire, which stretches into Saskatchewan, is located just to the east of LWF 192. The strong afternoon winds caused about 2,000 hectares of new growth today on the east side, pushing the fire further into Saskatchewan.
LWF 191 remains out of control at 80 hectares (doubled in size today). This fire is in the Bovine area. Tankers worked on this fire this morning. Helicopters were bucketing on the fire today until smoke conditions made working the fire unsafe. We were unable to get a final size tonight due to smoke.
LWF 189 remains out of control at 25.0 hectares (doubled in size today). This fire is in the Bovine area. The fire grew today but we are unable to give an accurate estimate due to limited visibility because of smoke.
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. There was some growth today on the northeast end of the fire but smoke prevented us from getting an accurate mapping. Dozers have been working to construct guard on the south/southeast side of the fire. Guard is approximately 10% complete. Buckets and ground crews are working to extinguish the perimeter along the dozer guard as it is safe to do so. They will work on the southeast corner again tomorrow as that will be the safest place to work with the forecasted winds.
Two fires were 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