Peace River Area Update

Stay Current on Alberta's Wildfire Situation

Posted on Wed, Jun 03, 2015

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There are many ways to find out about what is happening with the wildfire hazard and active wildfires in your area.  You can visit our website, check us out on Facebook and Twitter or download our Alberta Wildfire App for android and apple products.

Fire Restriction Information

There is now a fire restriction in place for the north and east parts of the province, but the Peace area is not included in this restriction at this time.  Click here for a map of the areas that are included in the fire restriction.  Worth noting is the fact that this only applies to the fire ban that was on in the Forest Protection Area and a number of municipalities in the area have maintained their fire advisories, restrictions and bans.  Please visit www.albertafirebans.ca to ensure that there is no fire ban or restriction in your area before burning.

The Peace River Wildfire Management Area would like to take this time to thank everyone for cooperating with the fire restrictions and fire bans over the past few weeks.  This cooperation was vital in helping our fire fighters to focus their efforts on the wildfires burning in our area while preventing the ignition of new ones.

Wildfire Hazard

The wildfire hazard has climbed up to HIGH.  It is important to prevent wildfires and equally important for firefighters to get to them while they are still small.  With a number of out of control wildfires burning in the province, we can not afford more. Residents and visitors to the Peace River Wildfire Management Area are urged to call 310-FIRE immediately to report a wildfire.

Fire fighting crews, air tankers, helicopters and heavy equipment have been strategically placed throughout the Peace River Wildfire Management Area ready to be quickly dispatched to any wildfire starts.  Our wildfire lookouts and aerial patrol crews will be on the look out for any new wildfire starts, but we need your help too.  PLEASE EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN BURNING OR RECREATING IN THE FOREST AND CALL 310-FIRE TO REPORT WILDFIRES. 

Local Wildfires

There have been 79 wildfires in the Peace River Wildfire Management Area this fire season, all but 10 of which have now been extinguished.  There were 7 new wildfire starts yesterday afternoon and evening.

Active wildfires in the area current as of 5 pm June 3:

  • PWF 030, located east of St Isidore, remains under control at 55 hectares in size and is not expected to spread any further.  
  • PWF 050 is being held at 16 hectares
  • PWF 052  is being held at 1202.80 hectares and surrounded by dozer guard.  
  • PWF 054 is being held at 36.60 hectares
  • PWF 073 is now being held at 4.5 hectares in size
  • PWF 074 has been extinguished 
  • PWF 075 is now under control at 1.40 hectares in size
  • PWF 076 is being held at 0.05 hectares
  • PWF 077 is under control  at 0.10 hectares
  • PWF 078 is being held at 0.80 hectares
  • PWF 079 is being held at 0.1 hectares

Firefighting crews, air tankers and dozer groups are working diligently to get these wildfires under control and and will continue to do so until they are extinguished.

The Hotchkiss complex (now comprised of PWF 050, 052 and 054) is located just southwest of the Hotchkiss Lookout down the Chinchaga Forestry Road.  This fire has now been surrounded by dozer guard and is not expected to spread beyond its current boundaries.  A map of the complex is now available here. Please note that this map was made before the wildfires became classified as being held.  

Provincial Wildfires

Provincially, there are 39 wildfires currently burning, 4 of which remain out of control. Please visit our wildfire status map on our website at www.wildfire.alberta.ca or download the Alberta Wildfire App for more information on what is happening throughout the province.

Wildfire Prevention

Now that the fire ban has lifted and burning is once again permitted, please remember to get a fire permit before you burnensure that your campfire is COMPLETELY extinguished before you leave your site and check your ATV for dry debris that may be heating up on the hot parts of your machine.  Most importantly, call 310-FIRE IMMEDIATELY to report a wildfire. In these conditions, it is important to get fire fighting resources to all wildfires as soon as possible.

Please click on the links above for more information on how YOU can prevent wildfires.

 

Remember to help us action wildfires quickly by calling 310-FIRE to report a wildfire.

For more information:

CRYSTAL BURROWS - Information Officer
c: 780.618.6215   o: 780.624.7142
crystal.burrows@gov.ab.ca

Visit us on FacebookTwitter or download our Alberta Wildfire App for android and apple products

Up-to-date information fire restrictions and fire bans is available by calling 1-866-FYI-FIRE (1-866-394-3473).

To report a wildfire call 310-FIRE (310-3473).