Slave Lake Area Update

Thanks for doing your part to prevent wildfires this long weekend!

Posted on Fri, Jul 31, 2015

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Firefighters continue to work on the wildfire along highway 754. For the safety of our firefighting personnel, please slow down and follow the posted speed limits.

 Wildfire Hazard

Lack of rain and warm weather keeps the wildfire hazard HIGH for the Slave Lake Wildfire Management Area. We are urging residents and visitors to use caution while working or recreating in our forests as conditions are dry and a wildfire will ignite easily and spread very quickly under windy conditions. To report a wildfire call 310-FIRE(3473).

 

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Firefighters with helicopters, heavy equipment and airtankers are stationed throughout the area ready to fight any new wildfires that may start. We also have our personnel in the fire towers on high alert constantly watching for smoke.  

 

Weather Forecast

The forecast for tomorrow is calling for a highs of 23 degrees, chance of thundershowers and winds from the north/northwest at 15 kilometres per hour. 

Over the weekend there is a chance of rain however, until rain is on the ground conditions in our forests will remain dry.

 

Wildfire Update as of 4:00 pm Friday July 31, 2015

There have been no new wildfires today.

Thanks to hard work of firefighters we have two wildfires being held, eight under control and 224 extinguished.

Slave Lake Wildfire number 175 was discovered on July 1st and is located 36 kilometers northeast of Peerless Lake and 33 kilometers west of Chipewyan Lakes.This wildfire is being held which means given current weather conditions and firefighting resources, the wildfire is not anticipated to grow past expected boundaries.Firefighters and helicopters are working on extinguishing hotspots along the edges of this wildfire.

 

Slave Lake Wildfire number 163 which is located at approximately kilometer 25 on highway 754, 26 kilometers northeast of Marten Beach remains being held at 9,895 hectares. Being held means, given current weather conditions and firefighting resources, the wildfire is not anticipated to grow past expected boundaries. This wildfire is 95 % contained. Infrared aerial scans are being performed on the wildfire to locate areas of deep burning ground fire. Firefighters receive the gps locations and are extinguishing them.

Since April 1, in the Slave Lake Wildfire Management Area there have been 234 wildfires that have burned a total of 22,352 hectares.

For information on wildfires in Alberta download the free Alberta Wildfire App or visit the Wildfire Status Map by clicking here.

Fire Permits

With Heritage Day around the corner, be sure to request your free fire permit if you plan on igniting fireworks in the Forest Protection Area.

From March 1 to October 31, fire permits are required for any type of burning in the forest protection area - except campfires. A fire permit is not required for a campfire. 

To request your free fire permit call your local Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Office.

Slave Lake/Red Earth/Peerless Lake/Trout Lake 780-849-7377

High Prairie 780-523-6619

Wabasca 780-891-3860

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Fire permits help us track what is burning on the landscape. By getting a fire permit and following the fire permit conditions you help keep our firefighters free to fight existing wildfires and any new wildfires that may start.

 

Enjoy the long weekend and thank you for doing your part to help prevent wildfires!


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Unless conditions change, you can expect your next wildfire update Tuesday August 4th.
Leah Lovequist - Wildfire Information Officer
Slave Lake Wildfire Management Area 
Office: 780.849.7412
Mobile: 780.849.0945 
Leah.Lovequist@gov.ab.ca 
To report wildfires call 310-FIRE
For information about wildfires in Alberta follow us on Twitter @ABGovWildfire or Facebook. Download the free Alberta Wildfire app for Apple and Android devices.