The wildfire danger remains HIGH for the Lac La Biche forest area.
A cold front is forecast to cross the area tonight bringing a chance of some light, isolated showers, ending before noon tomorrow. The precipitation is not expected to be significant or widespread. Strong winds are expected to continue behind the cold front, which means grass will quickly recover from any precipitation and wildfires will spread easily by afternoon. Temperatures are expected to increase by a couple of degrees each day with warm temperatures and low humidity expected on the weekend. We expect the wildfire danger to escalate by the weekend if these conditions persist.
No burning tomorrow. Winds are forecast to be 20 km/hr gusting to 35 km/hr. It's not safe to burn when winds exceed 15 km/hr. Even if you have a permit, it's not safe to burn when winds are strong.
We had one new wildfire today. All fires in the area are under control. We've had a total of 49 wildfires so far this season.
We have 11 crews, the airtankers, three helicopters, and seven water trucks on hand in the forest area.
I might sound like a broken record, but be mindful when operating quads in grassy areas tomorrow afternoon. Areas that received precipitation will dry out quickly with the winds, and areas that don't receive precipitation are already dry. Stop frequently and check machine hot spots for grass and muskeg that can buildup, heat to the point of ignition, and fall from the machine igniting a grass fire along your path.
Thanks for doing your part to prevent wildfire.
For more information, please call:
Leslie Lozinski
Wildfire Information Officer
780-623-9758
leslie.lozinski@gov.ab.ca