Firefighters thank you for doing your part to prevent wildfires and wish you a happy Canada Day long weekend!
Wildfire Danger
Rain and cooler temperatures are in the forecast for the weekend. The wildfire danger will be LOW in the Slave Lake Forest Area. Click here to view the wildfire danger map. Unless conditions change your next wildfire update will be July 3rd.
Wildfire Update
Since March 1st, there have been 128 wildfires and 274,086 hectares burned in the Slave Lake Forest Area.
SWF-114 located south of the hamlets of Canyon Creek and Widewater has been extinguished.
SWF-102 west of the Chip/Alpac Road has been extinguished.
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.
Keep up to date on the current wildfire situation visit www.wildfire.alberta.ca and follow Alberta Wildfire on Facebook and Twitter.
Smoke on Highway 754
When traveling on Highway 754 you will see areas of smoldering ground fires.These smoldering ground fires do not pose a threat to the highway.Firefighters are working to extinguish these areas. For the safety of our firefighters, please obey the reduced speed limit on the highway 754.
McMillan Complex - June 28th, 2019
Fire behavior continues to be minimal due to the wet and cool weather. Rain is expected to continue overnight tapering off late Saturday evening.The total amount of rain expected for the McMillan Complex is 15 to 25 millimetres.
SWF-049 is 273,045 hectares and classified as being held. Being held means the wildfire is not expected to grow based on current weather and firefighting efforts that are being applied.
Firefighters are working to extinguish smouldering ground fires in priority areas around the fire's perimeter.The greatest number of firefighters are concentrated on the northeast and northwest flanks of the fire.
The Incident Management Team continues to look for opportunities for aerial infrared scans to help firefighters located and extinguish deep burning ground fires.
Fire guard has been completed around the north end of the fire and heavy equipment are being re-located for future rehabilitation work.
Over the next three days, the fire camp in Slave Lake will be dismantled and operations will be moved closer to the fire's northeast perimeter.
There are 257 firefighters and 50 support staff, 26 helicopters working on the McMillan Complex.
We have been lucky enough to have received support from firefighters and support staff from British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Parks Canada, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Nevada, Oregon and Mexico. Thank you to everyone who has assisted in our operations; the support has been incredible.
There are four wildfires within the McMillan Complex. For exact locations of the wildfires please click on the map links below.
SWF-049 is 273,045 hectares and classified as being held.
SWF-078 is 137 hectares and classified as under control.
SWF-090 is 187 hectares and classified as under control.
SWF-099 is 2 hectares and has been extinguished.
Note: wildfire sizes are subject to change as more accurate readings of the perimeter become available.Click here to view a map with imagery and click here for one without imagery of the McMillan Wildfire Complex
Fire Permits
From March 1st to October 31st, a fire permit is required for any type of burning in the Forest Protection Area. A campfire for cooking or warming does not require a fire permit.
To request your free fire permit call your local Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Office:
Slave Lake/Red Earth/Trout/Peerless/Loon 780-849-7377
Wabasca 780-891-3860
High Prairie 780-523-6619
Do your part to prevent wildfires.
When riding your off highway vehicle stop frequently to remove any build-up of debris from the hot spots on your machine. An off-highway vehicle exhaust can reach temperatures of over 200 degrees Celsius. That means it won't take long for that wet and muddy debris to dry up, start smouldering and fall to the ground as you drive away.
Never leave your campfire unattended and make sure it's out. Soak it with water, stir up the ashes and soak it again. A campfire is out when the ashes are cool to the touch.
Unless conditions change your next wildfire update will be July 3rd.
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.