Slave Lake Area Update

Slave Lake Forest Area Wildfire Update - June 12th 9:00 pm

Posted on Wed, Jun 12, 2019

GFX-HSB-WildfireDangerUpdate-VeryHigh.jpg

Wildfire Danger

The wildfire danger will be High to Very High in the Slave Lake Forest Area. Click here to view the wildfire danger map for Thursday. 

Under the dry conditions a fire will ignite easily and spread very quickly. Firefighters are urging everyone to use caution and report wildfires immediately by calling 310-FIRE or #FIRE on your cell phone.

Thundershowers with lightning are expected to move through the area over the next 24 hours. Firefighters in helicopters, airtankers and heavy equipment are ready to fight any new wildfires that may start.

The Fire Ban and OHV Restriction remain in place for areas north of Lesser Slave Lake. To view a map and details regarding the Fire Ban/OHV restriction visit www.albertafirebans.ca


Weather

For Thursday the temperature will be 18 degrees. Winds will be from the northwest 15-20 kilometres per hour. There is a chance of thundershowers with lightning over the next 24 hours. A significant amount of rain is not expected.

Smoky conditions are expected to continue.Click here to view the air quality statement that has been issued. If you experience respiratory difficulties, visit Alberta Health Link or dial 811. Visit www.firesmoke.ca to view the most current smoke forecast.


airtankers june 12Slave Lake Airtanker Base June 12th

Wildfire Update

Since the start of the wildfire season on March 1st, there have been 104 wildfires and 264,767 hectares burned in the Slave Lake Forest Area.

New Wildfire Starts

There were two new wildfire starts today.

SWF103 located near Lubicon Lake is under control and is 0.1 hectares. Firefighters are working to extinguish it.  

SWF104 located in the community of Sucker Creek was fought by the local fire department and has been extinguished. It was 0.2 hectares.

SWF-102 is located 1.3 kilometres west of the Chip/Alpac Road at approximately kilometre 45. It started on June 9th. 23 firefighters, four helicopters and heavy equipment continue to fight this wildfire. It is 153 hectares in size and is classified as out of control.

Provincial Wildfire Situation

For information on the wildfire situation across the province of Alberta click here. 

Click here to view a map of the wildfires burning in Alberta.


McMillan Wildfire Complex

Firefighters, heavy equipment and aircraft continue fighting the McMillan Complex wildfires under challenging conditions. Of the five wildfires, two are under control and three are classified as out of control.

SWF-049 is 262,768 hectares and is classified as out of control.

SWF-078 is 137 hectares and is classified as under control.

SWF-079 is 994 hectares and is classified as out of control.This fire is located 9.4 kilometres to the northwest of Wabasca No. 166C.

SWF-090 is 215 hectares and is classified as not under control.

SWF-099 is 2 hectares and is classified as under control.

SWF-049 is now 50% contained. Firefighters continued to focus efforts on the east side of the fire, west of Bigstone Cree Nation and Wabasca.Firefighters were working to extinguish the fire 30 metres in from the edge.

The southeast side of the fire was a priority as the fire behavior increased in this area today. Airtankers were dropping water and retardant on areas of open flame to reduce the fire’s intensity.

Firefighters continued to lay hose around the furthest northwest portion of the fire to limit the fire’s spread in this direction.Heavy equipment has nearly completed dozer lines on the entire south side of the fire creating a strong fire guard.

Helicopters were bucketing to support heavy equipment and firefighters across the fire today.

In many areas of the fire, firefighters were working to extinguish the fire 30 metres in from the edge and continued to patrol for ground fires in the Marten Lakes Road area.

An aerial infrared scan is planned for parts of SWF049 tonight.The scan will identify the location of ground fires and the results will be passed onto firefighters who will be extinguishing them.

Structure protection remains in place in the communities of Trout Lake, Wabasca, and Bigstone Cree Nation. The structure protection branch has started removing sprinklers in the community of Marten Beach.

Firefighters with helicopters continue fighting SWF-079.

Great progress continues to be made on SWF- 078 and SWF-099 as all of these fires are under control.

There are 539 firefighters and support staff, 45 helicopters, airtankers, and 43 pieces of heavy equipment fighting the McMillan WIldfire Complex.

SWF-049 remains approximately: 

  • 4.9 and 3.3 kilometres west of Wabasca No. 166B and 166D
  • 26.5 kilometres northeast of Marten Beach
  • 32.8 kilometres northeast of Slave Lake
  • 9.3 kilometres southeast of Trout Lake 

Click here to view a map with imagery and click here for one without imagery of the McMillan Wildfire Complex.


A Wildfire Information Booth will be set up at the Lakeview Sports Centre in Wabasca on Thursday June 13th 9:00 am - 8:00 pm.

Click here to view information about BBQ planned for Friday June 14th. 

The evacuation orders for Wabasca-Desmarais, Hamlets of Sandy Lake, and Chipewyan Lake, and all of Bigstone Cree Nation have been rescinded and the public can now return back to these areas. Residents must be prepared to evacuate on short notice, due to wildfire activity in the area. Keep up to date by visiting www.emergencyalert.alberta.ca

For the safety of our firefighters, please obey the reduced speed limit on the highways.Highway 813 from Wabasca to Sandy Lake is open. Highway 754 from Highway 88 to Wabasca is open. Expect delays due to traffic volume and reduced visibility in smoke.Speed reductions in effect. .View updates on highways by visiting 511.Alberta.ca or download the mobile app.

Smoky conditions are expected to continue in the Wabasca area.If you experience respiratory difficulties, visit Alberta Health Link or dial 811. Visit www.firesmoke.ca to view the most current smoke forecast.Click here to view the air quality statement that has been issued.Click here for Alberta Health Services Information about Wildfire Smoke.

Structure protection equipment remains in place. Cick here for a message from the Fire Chiefs of the Wabasca and Bigstone Cree Nation Fire Departments regarding the fire fighting equipment that has been left in place.

The Fire Ban and OHV Restriction remain in place for areas north of Lesser Slave Lake. To view a map and details regarding the Fire Ban/OHV restriction visit www.albertafirebans.ca

FBS_FireBan_WebGraphic_ESRD_Main

A Fire Ban and Off-Highway Vehicle Restriction is in effect for the High Level Forest Area, the majority of the Peace River Forest Area, the upper portion of the Slave Lake Forest Area and small areas in the western portions of the Lac La Biche and Fort McMurray Forest Areas.
 
Prohibited
• All open fires including campfires in campgrounds, backcountry and random camping areas and backyard fire pits.
• Charcoal briquettes, turkey fryers and tiki torches.
• Fireworks and exploding targets.
• The use of off-highway vehicles for recreational use on all public lands.
 
Allowed
• Portable propane fire pits that are CSA approved or UL certified.
• Gas or propane stoves and barbecues that are CSA approved or UL certified and are designed for cooking or heating.
• Catalytic or infrared-style heaters.
• OHVs for industrial use, agricultural use, and traditional use by Indigenous peoples, as well as use on private lands.
 
The Fire Ban and Off-Highway Vehicle Restriction will remain in effect until conditions improve.
 
Visit www.albertafirebans.ca to view map and details.
 
Click here for the fire ban fact sheet.
 
Click here for the OHV restriction fact sheet.

 Wildfire_DigitalSigns-03

 
If you have any questions please contact:

Leah Lovequist

Wildfire Information Officer

Mobile: 780-849-0945

Email:leah.lovequist@gov.ab.ca

Keep up to date on the wildfire situation by subscribing to the Slave Lake Forest Area Wildfire Update or download the free Alberta Wildfire app for Apple or Android devices.

facebook.jpg     twitter.jpg     instagram.jpg