Slave Lake Area Update

Gusty winds expected to continue. Three new wildfires.

Posted on Fri, Apr 29, 2016

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With warm weather and gusty winds expected tomorrow, the wildfire hazard has climbed to VERY HIGH. 

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Use caution as a wildfire will ignite easily in areas of dead dry grass and spread quickly under these windy conditions. 

Call 310-FIRE (3473) immediately to report a wildfire. 

 

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For Saturday, the forecast is calling for temperatures in the mid teens and winds from the southeast 20 gusting up to 40 kilometres per hour. Warm and dry weather is expected to continue over the next several days.

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There were three new wildfires in the past 24 hours. All three were quickly contained and extinguished. Since April 1st there have been 29 wildfires in the Slave Lake Forest Area. Thanks to the hard work of firefighters, aircraft pilots and heavy equipment operators 28 have been extinguished and one is under control. The total area burned is just over 49 hectares.

Click here to view the Wildfire Situation in Alberta. 

 

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Spring is the time of year when wildfires are 100 per cent preventable. Most if not all of the wildfires we see at this time of year are human-caused. Human-caused wildfires are 100 per cent preventable. Please do your part to prevent wildfires this spring.

The majority of wildfires this spring were caused by winter burning. Go back and make sure your winter burns are extinguished. The mild winter and dry ground conditions are proving favorable for holdover fires. When checking your brush piles, spread around any remaining debris so you can probe the area for ground fires. 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.

 A campfire left smouldering can cause a wildfire. Never leave your campfire unattended and make sure it's out. This video shows you how to make sure your campfire is out.

Your off-highway vehicle can start a wildfire. Check your off-highway vehicle frequently for any smouldering debris. Grass, muskeg, moss or other debris can drop to the ground as you're riding and spark a wildfire.This video shows you how to ride debris free! 

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Safe campfires and valid permits are allowed. Remember to check the weather and be sure to follow the conditions on your fire permit.

Fire permits are required for any type of burning in the Forest Protection Area. Campfires do not require a fire permit.

 Fire permits are free and can be obtained by calling your local Alberta Agriculture and Forestry office.

  • Slave Lake/Red Earth/Peerless/Trout 780-849-7377
  • Wabasca 780-891-3860
  • High Prairie 780-523-6619

By getting a fire permit you help keep our firefighters free to fight real wildfires instead of investigating the smoke in your backyard.

Unless conditions change, you can expect your next wildfire update on April 30th.  

Leah Lovequist -Wildfire Information Officer

Mobile: 780.849.0945

Leah.Lovequist@gov.ab.ca

Report Wildfires 310-FIRE (3473)

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