The forest area is detecting and responding to multiple lightning caused wildfires. If you see smoke or flame and suspect it's a wildfire, call 310-FIRE.
Help keep Alberta's forest safe and ensure you fully extinguish your campfire. Soak the ashes, stir them and soak them again until they're cool to the touch. Never leave your campfire unattended.
Do not burn in windy conditions and always adhere to the conditions of your permit. Dry grass can catch easily and burn very quickly. Any spark, friction or hot exhaust can easily start a wildfire.
Lookouts are located where visibility is favourable to detect and report wildfires. They consist of cabins located at the peak of a mountain or steel towers located on the highest ground throughout the forested lands. There are 11 lookouts in the Edson Forest Area. Click here to learn more.
EDSON FOREST AREA FIRE DANGER RATING
The wildfire danger in the Edson Forest Area is now HIGH due to recent precipitation and cooler temperatures. Use extra caution when working or recreating outdoors and keep watch of your surroundings. To view the forecasted wildfire danger map, click here.
EDSON FOREST AREA WILDFIRE UPDATE
Since January 1, 2022, there have been 64 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 39.49 ha.
The forest area is detecting multiple wildfire starts that are suspected to be caused by lightning. If you see smoke or flame in the forest, call 310-FIRE.
EWF064 was detected today and classified as out of control. This wildfire is estimated to be 0.14 ha in size and located 34 km southeast of Cadomin and 18 km east of Grave Flatts Tower. There are four firefighters and two helicopters associated to this fire.
EWF060 was detected yesterday and classified as under control. This wildfire is estimated to be 0.01 ha in size and located 70 km southeast of Hinton, 30 km southeast of Cadomin and 3 km southeast of Grave Flatts Tower. There are four firefighters and one helicopter associated to this fire.
EWF061 & EWF062 were detected yesterday and now classified as extinguished. These two wildfires were estimated to be 0.01 ha in size and located approximately 30 km southeast of Hinton, 11 km west of Robb and 1-3 km west of Yellowhead Tower.
EWF063 was detected yesterday and now classified as extinguished. This wildfire was estimated to be 0.02 ha in size and located 35 km south of Edson and 25 km east of Robb.
All the above mentioned wildfires are suspected to be caused by lightning and will be monitored by wildfire firefighters until they're extinguished. There are no communities threatened at this time.
Did you know that an average of 30 percent of wildfires in Alberta are caused by lightning each year? Fortunately, AB Wildfire uses technology that can forecast and detect lightning strikes. They operate a lightning detection system developed by VAISALA. The system enables fire managers to monitor cloud-to-ground lightning activity on a provincial basis. You can learn more by clicking here.
To view the wildfires on a map, check out the new wildfire dashboard. It provides up-to-date wildfire information at the click of a button. This interactive tool displays important statistics on the number of active wildfires in the province, sizes, locations, suspected causes and more.
PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE UPDATE
Since January 1, 2022 in the Forest Protection Area, there have been 736 wildfires burning a total of 105,718 ha.
WILDFIRE NEAR NORDEGG
RWF038 is located in the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area and is located 19 km west of Nordegg, 125 km south of Edson and 94 km south east of Cadomin.
To learn more about this wildfire, visit the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area Update.
A fire advisory remains in effect for the Edson Forest Area section of the Forest Protection Area due to current and forecasted weather conditions. Fine fuels and woody debris are very dry and could ignite easily from any spark, friction or hot exhaust. Use extreme caution when working or recreating outdoors.
At this time, there are no changes to existing permits but any new permits will be considered on a case by case basis.
The public and residents in the Edson Forest Area can continue to use a fire pit, charcoal briquettes on a barbecue, or a safe campfire and recreational off-highway vehicles.
*Safe wood campfires - should be within a metal, brick, or rock fire ring. They are required to:
- a) be on rock, gravel, sand, or another non-combustible surface that extends at least one metre around the fire;
- b) have a responsible person in attendance to keep fire under control at all times and extinguish before leaving;
- c) have on hand enough water on site to extinguish the fire.
The fire advisory will remain in place until conditions improve.
ALBERTA FIRE BAN SYSTEM
Alberta has a color-coded system for restricting activities that may cause wildfires in the forest protection area. As the wildfire danger increases, more activities may be restricted. Before implementing any stage of the fire ban system, we consider weather, fire danger, the risk of human-caused wildfires and available resources.
For more information, visit albertafirebans.ca or download the AB Fire Bans app for Apple or Android.
FARM AND ACREAGE PRACTICES FOR WILDFIRE PREVENTION
Off-highway vehicle safety
Did You know? On average, over 30 wildfires are started by off-highway vehicles (OHVs) each year in Alberta’s FPA. Some of these result in very large and expensive wildfires, threatening homes and communities. Most OHV fires happen in the spring when the snow has melted and there is an abundance of dry grass in the forest.
How do OHVs start wildfires? The exhaust system of an OHV can heat up to temperatures in excess of 200°C. When riders travel through wet areas, debris can build up on the exhaust and next to engine hot spots. As the rider travels, the muskeg, grass or other debris dries out and is ignited by the hot engine. These burning pieces of debris can fall to the ground and cause a wildfire.
You can help prevent OHV wildfires. Before you ride, inspect your OHV and clear out any debris that has built up near the exhaust or other hot spots. Avoid riding in wet areas. If you do ride in a wet area, through muskeg or tall grass, stop frequently and remove all debris from your engine and hot spots before it can dry out, heat up, fall to the ground, and cause a wildfire. Stomp on smouldering debris or soak it with water until it is extinguished. Ensure the muffler and spark arresters on your OHV are in good working condition. Any alterations to the factory components of an OHV can greatly increase the chance of starting a wildfire. Always carry a small fire extinguisher, collapsible pail and shovel on your OHV. Make sure you extinguish any campfires you have when you are out riding.
To learn more on how you can protect your farm and acreage, visit our magazine by clicking here.
FIRE PERMITS
Wildfire season in Alberta is from March 1 until October 31. During wildfire season, you are required to have a fire permit if you plan on burning in the Forest Protection Area, with the exception of a campfire. To request your free fire permit, contact the local forest area: (780) 723-8527 or you can request your permit using the new, convenient online fire permit portal.
We ask that you plan ahead, there may be delays for a forest officer to visit your site. For more information regarding fire permits, you can view our video by clicking here.
WILDFIRE PREVENTION TIPS
Albertans are always asked to use caution when working or recreating in the outdoors:
- Before you burn it, get your fire permit. Fire permits in Alberta.
- Clear debris from hot spots on your off-highway vehicle.
- Ensure your campfire is out - soak it, stir it, soak it again.
- Before you head out this weekend, check out the albertafirebans.ca website or download the app to stay informed.
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ALBERTA WILDFIRE INFORMATION
- Subscribe to the Edson Forest Area wildfire update to receive an email when new information is posted.
- Download the Alberta Wildfire App for Apple and Android device.
- Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
For more information, please contact:
