Peace River Area Update

• The only exception is contained fires fuelled by liquid or gas used for cooking or heating (ie barbeques – no briquettes). Fireworks are also covered under the fire ban.
• The fire ban does not apply to cities, towns,villages or summer villages or federal lands such as national parks, but many municipalities have initiated a fire ban.

Any existing fires must be extinguished immediately.

• The fire ban is in place as a result of the fire hazard across the province and wildfire activity in central and northern Alberta.  Every precaution needs to be taken to ensure no new preventable fires are started that will put additional strain on the province's firefighting resources.  
• Those who choose who contravene the ban can be fined up to $5,000 under the Forest and Prairie Protection act, and can also be held liable for the costs of putting out a fire they start.

Many municipalities in the area also have firebans, restrictions or advisories in place.  For more information on these and other advisories, restrictions and fire bans in the province, please visit http://beta.albertafirebans.ca/  and check municipality websites for updates.

 

Evacuations and Closures

• 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.  
• Please visit www.emergencyalert.alberta.ca for a listing of all evacuations currently in effect in Alberta. 
• 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.

 

Ole's Lake Provincial Recreation Area  will remain closed until further notice.

 

Smoke concerns

An air quality alert has been issued for the area.  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.  
• Please check the smoke forecast daily for expected smoke patterns.

 

Safety Concerns

Drone and UAV Use 

There have been a number of reports of UAV/drones flying over the fire in the Clearhills area, on both sides of the border.  Air operations have had to be grounded as a result.  

• When you fly a drone or UAV over or near an Alberta wildfire, you’re breaking the law and endangering firefighting personnel and may cause firefighting operations to stop.
• Before you fly your drone or UAV, make sure you understand the rules that apply and follow them. Not doing so could cost you up to $25,000 in fines.
• For more information, please visit: tc.gc.ca/SafetyFirst

 

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 have been no new wildfires in the Peace River Forest Area yet today (current at 6 pm).

 

WILDFIRES OF NOTE IN THE AREA:

ABC001 (BC Wildfire # G80068)  This wildfire continues to burn west of the Clearhills area on both sides of the BC/Alberta border. 

• Smoke from this fire will be visible from a significant distance away for the foreseeable future.  
• The wildfire is being continuously monitored by personnel in a helicopter. Our first priority is public safety.  If an evacuation becomes necessary, those affected will be notified by the proper authorities immediately.
• Firefighters, heavy equipment and helicopters continued to work on controlling this fire today. The line was defended on most of the south and east portions of the fire and these areas saw no growth today.  There was some growth in the northernmost sections of the fire.  A map showing that growth will be available tomorrow.  The fire is now estimated at 20,000 hectares within Alberta.   ABC001 map (Alberta side).  
• A downturn in the weather has been forecasted, with a potential for rain as soon as tomorrow evening or Thursday morning.
• Heavy equipment will be repositioned onto the north areas of the fire tomorrow so that they are ready to start building dozer guard as soon as the fire behavior calms as the cooler weather settles in.  
• We continue working with the BC Forest Service to action this wildfire.  For updates on the BC side of this fire, please continue to visit the BC wildfire website.  

 

UPDATES ON OTHER WILDFIRES: (changes since last update in bold)

(1 ha is 100 metres by 100 metres or approximately the size of 2 football fields)

• PMD 001 is located just west of Whitelaw and remains under control at approximately 250 hectares in size. The fire has been contained and is not expected to spread beyond the current boundaries.  This fire will be scanned for hotspots tomorrow.
• PWF 008 remains under control at 12.3 hectares southwest of Dixonville.  The fire has been scanned to find any remaining hotspots.
• PWF 024 remains under control at 74 hectares in size west of the Dixonville area (north of the Smith Mills road).  Firefighters will continue their efforts to extinguish this fire.  The fire has been scanned to find any remaining hotspots.

 

OHV use

A temporary restriction on off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreational use on public lands and provincial parks has been issued.  It applies to recreational use on public lands, including designated OHV trails, only. It does not apply to agriculture, public safety or commercial/industrial users who operate OHVs for farming, enforcement or business purposes.  

• Off-highway vehicles are defined as any all-terrain vehicle (ATV), four-wheel vehicles, motorcycles and related two-wheel vehicles and amphibious machines.
• If Albertans are witnessing restricted OHV activities they can call the Report a Poacher Line at 1-800-642-3800.
• For more information you can visit emergency.alberta.ca.

 

Double check your brush piles

With the fire ban now in place, ALL burning, including brush piles must be immediately and completely extinguished.  

• 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.

 

Fire permits suspended

With the fireban 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. 

 

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 on Facebook,Twitter or Youtube 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