Two Active Wildfires - Whitecourt Forest Area

WILDFIRE HAZARD UPDATE

Today, the wildfire hazard is high for the Whitecourt Forest Area. The weather will reamin warm and dry with the wind east in direction at 15 kilometres per hour. Extreme burning conditions are expected today as we experience crossover conditions - the ambient relative humidity will be less than or equal to the ambient temperature.

The wildfire hazard is trending up for the next few days. If you see smoke in the forest, call 310-FIRE (3473)

WILDFIRE UPDATE

In the last 24 hours, there have been three new wildfires in the Whitecourt Forest Area. Two wildfires are currently active:

Wildfire number 13 (legal land location: 16-25-59-11-W5) started May 28. It is located just over 13 kilometres east of the Town on Whitecourt. No communities or structures are threatened at this time.
The wildfire is under control at 0.1 hectares. This wildfire is not expected to grow past its current boundaries. Firefighters will return to the site this morning to continue to extinguish the wildfire.

Wildfire number 14 (legal land location: 6-19-62-13-W5) started May 28. It is located west of Highway 32, just over 19 kilometres north west of Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park. No communities or structures are threatened at this time. The wildfire is out of control at 5.0 hectares.
Firefighters, air tankers and helicopters worked to contain the wildfire until the evening. Over night, pieces of heavy equipment will be working to create a dozer guard to surround the wildfire. Firefighters will be returning to fight the wildfire in the morning.

Since the start of the 2017 wildfire season, there have been 14 wildfires that have burned 5.69 hectares in the Whitecourt Forest Area.

For information on the wildfire situation across the province of Alberta, visit wildfire.alberta.ca.

TIPS FOR A SAFE CAMPFIRE

Before, during and after your campfire, its easy to be safe.

Site - in campgrounds or recreational areas, use the designated stoves, rings or fire pits. In the backcountry or where a designated receptacle isn't available, use sites that are clear of dry grass, bushes, leaves, over hanging branches, tree trunks and peat moss. Build the campfire on level ground that is sheltered from the wind and near a source of water.
Never leave a campfire unattended - a campfire can escape and start a wildfire if no one is watching it. Watch for sparks and escaped embers - quickly extinguish them.
Extinguishing a campfire - soak it, stir it, soak it again - let the fire burn down, spread the embers within the pit then add water or loose dirt. Stir it around to expose any material that is still burning and then add more water or dirt. Don’t bury your fire because it can smolder underground and reignite into a wildfire. You’ll know your fire is out, when you don’t feel any heat coming from the ashes.

Image: A firefighter putting out an abandoned campfire. If an individual does not properly extinguish a fire and it starts a wildfire they can be charged up to $100,000 or face imprisonment for up to two years. Read more here.

Leaving a campfire unattended will result in a fine of $287 under the Forest Prairie and Protection Act.

FIRE PERMITS

As of March 1, a free fire permit is required for all burning (except for campfires) within the Forest Protection Area of Alberta. Get started by calling:

Whitecourt patrolman at 780-778-1590 or
Whitecourt Fire Centre at 780-778-7272

As of March 31, 2017 new penalties now exist for failure to produce a fire permit when requested by a forest officer, read more here.

FIRESMART YOUR YARD

Are you tending to your yard and flower gardens this weekend? When choosing your plants this year, consider FireSmart. Check out the FireSmart Guide to Landscaping. By selecting fire resistant plants and materials you can increase the likelihood of your home surviving a wildfire. Other small steps like having noncombustible surface material around the outer walls of your home can make a difference - read more here.

Check out the new Home Development Guide to learn how to further reduce the risk of wildfire impacting your home and neighborhood.

NEWS FROM ALBERTA WILDFIRE

Enhancements were made to the Forest and Prairie Protection Act (FPPA) regulations on March 31, 2017. Learn about the changes and the associated fines here.

Unless conditions change, your next wildfire update will be on June 2, 2017.

wildfire.alberta.ca

Whitecourt Area Update