Whitecourt Area Update

Wildfire Hazard

The wildfire hazard is MODERATE for the Whitecourt Wildfire Management Area (WWMA). The temperature today will reach a high of 2 degrees Celsius, winds will be sourth east in direction at 20 kilometers per hour, gusting to 40 km/h in the afternoon. No significant rain or snow is expected in the next few days.

Dead dry grass, leaves and branches on the forest floor are very flammable. With the current dry conditions, a wildfire can ignite easily and will burn deep into the root system of the soil. Continue to use caution when working or recreating in the forest. Call 310-FIRE (3743) to report a wildfire.

Image: Wildfire that burned into the root system this past summer.

Local Wildfire Summary
October 28, 2015 at 11:00am

In the last 24 hours, there was one new wildfire in the Whitecourt WMA.

• Wildfire number 91 (legal land location: 01-20-062-21 W5) is located 17.9 kilometres south west of the town of Fox Creek and Highway 43. It is 4 km west of Tony Tower Road. The wildfire is under control at 0.7 hectares in size. This means the wildfire is not expected to burn past its current boundaries. Eight firefighters are using hand tools, pumps and hoses to extinguish this wildfire.
  
  Image: Firefighter working to extingusih areas
  of smouldering ground on Wildfire 91.

Since April 1, 2015 there have been 91 wildfires that have burned 71.40 hectares. To date, 43 wildfires in the Whitecourt WMA were caused by humans working or recreating in the forest. This means almost half of them were preventable, please do your part and help prevent wildfires.

Provincial Wildfire Summary
October 28, 2015 at 11:00 am

Alberta currently has 31 wildfires, 29 are classified as under control and one has been turned over to the responsible party. Since April 1, 2015, Alberta has recorded 1,783 wildfires that have burned a total of 491,649.79 hectares.

Image: Smouldering ground on Wildfire 91.

For more information, please visit the wildfire status map on our website at www.wildfire.alberta.ca; or you can download the Alberta Wildfire App for android or apple products. 

Fire Permits
BEFORE YOU BURN IT, GET YOUR PERMIT

Until October 31, if you want to do any burning, excluding campfires within the Forest Protection Area (FPA) you require a free Fire Permit:

• Fire Permits are free. To get the process started call 780-778-7272.
• Please call a week in advance of when you would like to burn in order to give our staff time to make arrangements to come out to your site and issue your permit.
• Fore efficiency, please have your site ready according to the burning site guidelines. before staff arrive. For your safety, a site visit is required in most cases.
• All permits must be completely extinguished before they expire, if you need more information make sure to ask.

Be Wildfire-Smart

Off-highway vehicles can start wildfires. Take the time to remove the buildup of grass, branches or other debris from your machine. This material can ignite, fall from your machine and start a wildfire. Areas of most concern include: exhaust and muffler systems, wheel wells, under the seat and in the engine and manifold systems. Learn more here.

Are you going hunting? When having a fire to cook lunch or to warm-up, make sure your fire is completely extinguished. It doesn't matter how small the fire is, if it is not out, it can grow. Soak it, stir it, soak it again; it should be cool to the touch. Learn more here.

FireSmart
Find out how you can become FireSmart, click on the image below:

Unless conditions change, you can expect your final wildfire update for the 2015 Fire Season on October 30, 2015.