Edson Forest Area Wildfire Update - May 6, 2023 (2:30 p.m.)

DO NOT FLY DRONES NEAR WILDFIRES! 

The use of recreational drones over wildfires in Alberta is dangerous, illegal and could result in a fine of up to $15,000* for putting aircraft and people at risk. Please give Alberta firefighters the space they need to do their jobs safely.

*according to Transport Canada

A FIRE BAN and OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE RESTRICTION is now effect for the entire Forest Protection Area of Alberta, including the Edson Forest Area.

Alberta Wildfire, Yellowhead County and Parkland County are responding to multiple wildfires in the area.

Dry grass can catch easily and burn quickly. Any spark, hot exhaust or friction can cause a wildfire. Avoid working near or on dry vegetation to help prevent wildfires.

If you see smoke or flame and suspect it's a wildfire, call 310-FIRE.

ACTIVE WILDFIRES

EWF031 was detected on May 4 and is located 25 km west of Lodgepole, 20 km northwest of Brazeau Dam and 14 km southeast of Edson. The fire is classified as out of control and was last estimated to be 77,920 ha in size. Based on the current forecasted conditions, this wildfire is expected to grow today in a west/northwest direction. Alberta Wildfire is working to establish containment lines, but the large size of this wildfire will make it very challenging to contain. Aerial ignition is being looked at, and will be utilized if conditions allow. The extreme wildfire behaviour makes it dangerous, difficult and ultimately ineffective to have firefighting crews near the head of this wildfire.

This fire still poses a significant threat to the town of Edson, and we strongly believe Hinton and the areas west of Hinton are the safest locations for residents that have been evacuated within Yellowhead County. The Wildfire Management Team has also been relocated and has been established in the town of Hinton.

Most of these wildfires are due to the recent dry lightning that was seen over the past several days. This time of year, the trees are extremely dry as they have yet to absorb the moisture that they need. These are not normal conditions which is why we are witnessing an abnormal amount of fires igniting and spreading. The current hot and dry conditions are also contributing as we have been seeing crossover conditions over several consecutive days. This means that the humidity is lower than the temperature, making vegetation severely flammable which results in extreme fire behaviour.

Smoke on EWF-031 (May 6, 2023 at 8:45am)

WCU002 has now been named the Deep Creek Wildfire and was detected on the evening of April 29 and is a mutual aid wildfire located on both sides of Highway 22, north of Highway 16. The wildfire is currently burning out of control. The wildfire was re-assessed and is now estimated to be 2,400 ha in size. The fire is burning in a mixture of grass, shrub, trees and marsh. Both Yellowhead County and Alberta Wildfire are actioning this wildfire. 

No growth has been reported overnight. Resources have been allocated to this wildfire. Most fire activity was primarily in the interior of the wildfire yesterday due to windy conditions. The wildfire has stayed south of Township Road 550 and east of Range Road 92 and west of Range Road 75. Lots of smoke in the area will be present due to the high winds forecasted for today. Airtankers will be available if requested. 

Yesterday, firefighters worked to prevent spread to the south near the rural subdivision of Lobstick Resort and the hamlet of Wildwood. Crews worked to contain fire east of Range Road 92 to prevent spread into rural properties. Firefighters also worked to contain the north fire perimeter of fire to the south side of Township Road 550 to prevent spread to the north of Chip Lake. Crews worked from the north side along Township Road 544 to the southeast portion of the wildfire. Alberta Wildfire will be assisting Yellowhead County as required on the east of Highway 22 to prevent further spread towards Evansburg.

More hot and dry conditions are expected to continue. Temperatures will remain in the high 20’s throughout the day. Today, winds will be out of the east-southeast 30-35 km/h with gusts of 55 km/h. No precipitation is expected in the next 48 hours. 

Wildfire smoke is a tool used for the location of smoke firesmoke.ca.

NASA Hotspots is a tool used to view hotspots on a map across Alberta.

We encourage anyone who suspects a wildfire that is not indicated on our app to report it to 310-FIRE.

(WCU001 wildfire activity May 5, 2023)

WCU001 was detected on April 29 and is classified as out of control and has seen increased activity overnight. The wildfire has been reassessed and is now 8586 ha in size. Yesterday/last night the wildfire did cross west over the Pembina River. The fire spread to the north where it did cross highway 16. The wildfire continued to spread parallel with highway 16 as it moved further west where the wildfire spread just north of Wildwood and towards Chip Lake. AB Wildfire is assisting Parkland County with this wildfire. This wildfire is moving fast and spreading quickly. 

Airtankers have been called in and are flying over wildfire WCU001 this afternoon after an increase in fire behavior around the community of Wildwood.  

For updates from Parkland County and evacuation information, please visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ParklandCountyAB. Residents in the affected areas can contact the Emergency Information Line at 1-780-968-8888.

For updates from Yellowhead County and evacuation information, please visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/yellowheadcounty Residents in the affected areas can contact the Yellowhead County Emergency Information Line at 1-833-334-4630.

If you have any questions or concerns about this wildfire (WCU002 or WCU001) please call the Wildfire Information Officer at 780-653-0153 and press 2 for information.

For all other wildfires in the Edson Forest Area please call the Area Information Coordinator at 780-237-4483. 

For all other wildfires, please report by calling 310-FIRE.

Smoke and visible flame on EWF-035 (May 5, 2023 at 6:00pm)

EWF035 was detected on May 5 and is located 3 km southeast of Shinning Bank. This wildfire is classified as out of control and estimated to be 4,376 ha in size. This wildfire has crossed highway 32 and is being continually assessed by Alberta Wildfire.

EWF037, EWF040 and EWF041. There are multiple clusters of wildfires that we believe were caused by lightning and at this time located approximately south of the Little Smoky River, north of the Wildhay River and east of Hwy 40 north. These wildfires remain under investigation.

EWF039 is currently burning out of control, estimated to be 200 ha in size and located near Carrot Creek. Five firefighters are on scene and deploying structure protection on critical infrastructure. Airtankers were actioning this wildfire yesterday evening.

There are unnumbered wildfires currently being assessed by Alberta Wildfire at this time, they are located near the Willow Haul road and the Jack Wright road north of Hinton. Both of these wildfires are classified as out of control and are estimated to be 190 ha and 575 ha respectively. Due to high winds and turbulence in the region, it is difficult to access this area, but initial attack resources are on scene and actioning this wildfire.

The above wildfires remain under investigation. To learn more about wildfire classifications, click here. 

For more information, visit our website and click on the interactive map to view active wildfires and their stats on the wildfire dashboard. 

Deep Creek Fire (WCU002 and WCU001) May 6th AM, 2023 public map 

Note: The wildfire perimeter map is an estimate based on measurements such as GPS, aerial scanning and satellite imagery. This estimated perimeter can change as more accurate measurements become available. Areas within the fire perimeter may not have been affected by wildfire. 

Click on the map for the PDF version. 

Crews will be working on wildfire Deep Creek Fire (WCU002), searching for and extinguishing hotspots. (May 5, 2023)

COMMUNITY EMERGENCY INFORMATION 

EVACUATION ORDER 

Area: Western boundary of evacuation zone is Marlboro and Range Road 200 all the way to the East of Yellowhead County. Northern boundary is Township Road 550 and southern is Township Road 520. This includes the town of Edson.

Description: You need to evacuate immediately. Evacuation route is west to Hinton or Jasper.

Instruction: Evacuate immediately. For those with no transportation or require bussing go to Glenwood Park, Holy Redeemer High, Westhaven School, Griffith Park Parking Lot, Mary Bergeron School, Hillendale Park.

Call 1-833-334-4630 for assistance.

As of 2:45 pm on May 5, 2023 - Yellowhead County has issued an evacuation order for Evansburg, Wildwood, Lobstick, and Hansonville. 

County has also issued an evacuation order for north and west areas of Wildwood from Township Road 544 north to Township Road 560, west to Range Road 110 and east to Highway 22.

Brazeau Dam area, west of the Brazeau River. The evacuation area is bounded by Elk River Road on the north, the Brazeau Reservoir on the east, and Range Road 145 on the west.

Residents in this area must evacuate immediately. 

Please visit the Yellowhead County Facebook page or www.yhcounty.ca for updates. Evacuees can call 1-833-334-4630 for more information. Gather important documents, medication, and enough food and water to be away from home for at least 3 days. Take pets with you. 

Special Access Permits for Calving, Foaling, & Lambing in Evacuated Zone North of Wildwood. Any agricultural operations and farms can request special access conditions for calving, foaling, and lambing provided it is considered safe for your area. Please contact 1-833-334-4630 for details. Residents that need to check livestock or retrieve pets can also request access between 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Please contact 1-833-334-4630 for details.

SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM YHC

Please visit www.yhcounty.ca for evacuation notices and evacuation centers and contact information for services you may need to access. For updates from Yellowhead County, please visit the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/yellowheadcounty 

For updates from Parkland County and evacuation information, please visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ParklandCountyAB. Residents in the affected areas can contact the Emergency Information Line at 1-780-968-8888.

For road closure information, please visit: https://511.alberta.ca/#:Alerts 

For residents with health concerns related to smoke you can find the air quality map here: https://www.alberta.ca/about-the-air-quality-health-index.aspx

If you have smoke related health concerns, please contact AB 811 click here for more information.

EDSON FOREST AREA WILDFIRE UPDATE

The wildfire danger in the Edson Forest Area is now EXTREME due to dry vegetation, no snow coverage and very little precipitation. Dry grass can catch easily and burn quickly. Always keep watch of your surroundings and avoid work that can cause friction, hot exhaust or spark near dry vegetation. 

Since January 1, 2023, there have been 42 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 81,650 ha.

*Mutual aid wildfires are not calculated in the Edson Forest Area total. 

Visit our website and click on the interactive map to view active wildfires and their stats on the wildfire dashboard. 

PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE UPDATE 

Since January 1, 2023 in the Forest Protection Area, there have been 388 wildfires burning a total of 261,693 ha.

Stay tuned to www.albertafirebans.ca throughout the wildfire season for more information about fire bans and restrictions in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta.

WE URGE RESIDENTS AND RECREATIONALISTS TO USE EXTRA CAUTION

Due to the current dry grass, warm weather and possible windy conditions, there is an increased risk of wildfires in the Edson Forest Area. We urge residents and visitors to exercise caution and take the following precautions:

• Do not start any fires or use open flames in areas that are susceptible to catching fire, such as near dry vegetation like grass or wooded areas.
• Dispose of cigarettes and other smoking materials properly, do not throw them on the ground.
• If you see a wildfire, immediately call 310-FIRE (3473) and report the location of the fire.
• Avoid using equipment that could generate sparks, friction or flames, such as power tools or lawn mowers, in areas with dry vegetation.
• Ensure grinders and welders are properly maintained and used in areas that are free from dry vegetation. Have sufficient water and tools on hand. Always keep watch of your surroundings and look around at regular intervals for smoke or flames that may have been accidently ignited.

We encourage everyone to stay informed about the current wildfire risk and to follow any guidance or orders from emergency personnel. By working together and taking proactive steps, we can help reduce the risk of wildfires in our community.

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.