Wildfires across Alberta flared up in the strong winds this afternoon. ABC 001 - BC Wildfire # G80068 (pictured above) will cross into Alberta north of the Boundary Lake area tonight. PWF 024 also intensified in the Dixonville area this afternoon. More details below.
FIRE RESTRICTION - EXTREME FIRE HAZARD - FIRE WEATHER ADVISORY ISSUED - CAUTION ADVISED
The wildfire hazard remains EXTREME. A wildfire RESTRICTION is now in place for the ENTIRE Forest Protection Area of Alberta.
All fire permits are suspended and no new permits will be issued. Safe wood campfires are permitted in designated campgrounds ONLY.
This restriction prohibits the use of:
- Wood campfires in the backcountry or random camping areas
- Charcoal briquettes
- Turkey fryers
- Tiki torches
This restriction does not apply to:
- Portable propane fire pits, that are CSA approved or UL certified, within campgrounds, backcountry and random camping areas.
- Gas or propane stoves and barbeques, that are CSA approved or UL certified and are designed for cooking or heating, within campgrounds, backcountry and random camping areas.
- Fires contained in industrial facilities or on industrial sites as approved by a forest officer.
- Wood burning campfires in engineered facilities in designated campgrounds.
This Ministerial Order came into effect at 12:00 o’clock noon on the 3rd day of May, 2016.
Many municipalities in the area have firebans, restrictions or advisories in place. For more information on these and other advisories, restrictions and fire bans in the province, please visit www.albertafirebans.ca and check municipality websites for updates.
Evacuations
There are no evacuations in the Peace River Forest Area at this time.
A number of evacuations are in effect across the province today. Please visit www.emergencyalert.alberta.ca for a listing of all evacuations currently in effect in Alberta. Sign up for the free emergency alert app to get up to the minute alerts and updates on evacuations and other emergencies in the province pushed to your device.
For information on how you can prepare yourself for the event that an evacuation is necessary, visit www.aema.alberta.ca/72-hour-emergency-kit.
Wildfire Preparation
Firefighters, heavy equipment, aircraft and support resources have all been strategically placed throughout the Peace River Forest Area in preparation for any new wildfire starts. Please call 310-FIRE to report wildfires as soon as possible so that these resources can be dispatched expediently.
Active wildfires in the area
There were two new fires today in the Peace River Forest Area (as of 5 pm).
PWF 028 is being held at 0.01 hectares west of Manning.
PWF 029 is being held at 0.01 hectares in the Eureka River area.
WILDFIRES OF NOTE IN THE AREA:
ABC001 (BC Wildfire # G80068) We have been monitoring a wildfire that is burning west of the Clearhills area on the British Columbia side of the border. It is now 1 km away from the BC/Alberta border, with volatile fire behavior and the smoke is visible from a significant distance away. We have been working with the BC Forest Service to come up with a plan to attempt to work together to control this wildfire. Please continue visit the BC Forest Service website for updates. ABC001 MAP (Please note that this map has not been updated since the fire behavior worsened and the fire began spreading more readily this afternoon, it is now much closer to the Alberta border)
SWF 030 is a large fire located approximately 45 kilometres northwest of Red Earth Creek. This fire is currently out of control and the smoke for this fire is visible from many places in the Peace Area. Go to the Slave Lake Wildfire Update for more information.
HWF 044 is burning out of control just south of High Level. Please visit the High Level Wildfire Update for more information as this situation develops.
UPDATES ON PREVIOUS WILDFIRES:
PMD001 is located just west of Whitelaw and is now UNDER CONTROL at approximately 250 hectares in size. The fire has been contained and is not expected to spread beyond the current boundaries. Crews continue to work on this fire.
PWF 008 is under control at 12.3 hectares southwest of Dixonville.
PWF 011 has been turned over at 1.00 hectares east of Notikewin Provincial Park.
PWF 013 is located just southeast of the Figure 8 Lake Provincial Recreation Area and has been extinguished at 99.4 hectares in size.
PWF 022 has been turned over at 1.40 hectares north of the Weberville area.
PWF 023 has been turned over at 0.10 hectares in the St Isidore area.
PWF 024 was upgraded to out of control status this afternoon at 74 hectares in size west of the Dixonville area (north of the Smith Mills road). Unfortunately, the fire behaviour worsened in the winds this afternoon. Immediately after it flared up, air tanker groups, firefighting crews, and a dozer group were all dispatched to this fire in order to assist the heavy equipment, numerous crews, helicopters and other support staff that have already been on scene working to extinguish this fire since it started. They are making good progress this evening.
Smoke concerns
Smoke is expected to drift into the area for the unforseeable future. If the smoke is bothering you, please consider staying indoors as much as possible. If you are having difficulties breathing, please call the Healthlink line or visit your local hospital.
Completely extinguish your campfires
With the fire restriction in place, safe wood campfires are permitted in designated campgrounds ONLY. All campfires must be burned within a fire pit ring with a non-flammable material such as clean sand underneath. Ensure that there is no dry grass or other flammable material around the ring.
Be sure to completely extinguish your campfire before leaving it unattended. Soak it with water, stir it and soak it again. Repeat this process until the ashes are cool to the touch.
Keep your OHV clean
If at all possible, please refrain from using your OHV until the hazard levels improve. The hot areas on your OHV can collect dried grasses and other debris and start a wildfire. Please clean your quad regularly throughout the day and carry a bucket with you to help in the event of a starting a wildfire. Stop frequently and check behind you for hot spots. If you start a fire with your OHV, call 310-FIRE immediately.
Double check your brush piles
With the restriction now in place, ALL burning, including brush piles must be immediately and completely extinguished. In these dry conditions, strong winds can cause previously docile brush piles to become active again. When checking your brushpiles, spread around any remaining debris so you can probe the area for hotspots. Use your bare hand to feel for heat over the ash piles. If you see smoke or feel any heat, the fire is still burning beneath the surface. Douse any remaining hot spots with water and stir up the ashes. A fire is not completely extinguished until there is absolutely no heat emanating from the ashes.
Before you burn it, get your permit
With the restriction now in place, ALL fire permits are suspended and ALL burning must be immediately and completely extinguished. No new fire permits will be issued until further notice.
Beginning March 1st, all burning activities in Alberta’s Forest Protection Area, excluding campfires, require a fire permit. Fire permits are free and available at your local Agriculture and Forestry office. You can call 780-624-6190 for more information or to obtain your free fire permit.
For more information
To receive these updates:
Bookmark the Peace River Wildfire Update and check for updates anytime, or subscribe to have it emailed to you. You can also download our app, available for Apple and Android devices.
You can also find us onFacebook,Twitter orYoutube or visit www.wildfire.alberta.ca
Or contact:
Crystal Burrows - Wildfire Information Officer
(780) 618-6215
crystal.burrows@gov.ab.ca
Report Wildfires 310-FIRE (3743)