Edson Forest Area Wildfire Update - May 6, 2023 (5:30 a.m.)

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.

There is a large amount of visible smoke in the area. While we always appreciate people calling in to report wildfires, the large volume of calls we are currently receiving is diverting our resources away from other essential tasks. You can always visit firesmoke.ca to see where the smoke is coming from, and as always, please still call 310-FIRE if you see smoke or flame that looks new and potentially unreported, but assume that larger columns of smoke have already been detected. Thank you!

ACTIVE WILDFIRES

EWF031 was detected on May 4 and is located 25 km west of Lodgepole, 20 km northwest of Brazeau Dam and 34 km southeast of Edson. The fire is classified as out of control and estimated to be 19,000 ha in size. As of 14:00 this afternoon (May 5), the fire had not reached Minnow Lake. There are several Alberta Wildfire resources working on this wildfire. If you have smoke related health concerns, please call 8-1-1. A good website for seeing hotspots generated by the wildfire is Nasa Fire Information. This site shows areas of heat on the fire based on satellite data, but this is not necessarily the wildfire perimeter, as there could be small areas of hotspotting ahead of the fire. It is a good resource to give a general idea of the wildfire's location.

Smoke column from EWF-031 (May 4, 2023)

As of May 5 at 9:30 pm, 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. 

Today, a total of 16 pieces of heavy equipment and five helicopters will be assisting 55 firefighters. There are 3 medium and 1 intermediate helicopter bucketing on this wildfire. Most fire activity was primarily in the interior of the wildfire last night and some spread to the north was seen 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. Firefighters will continue to work in high priority areas to reinforce and complete containment lines specifically to the south fire boundary line. Lots of smoke in the area will be present due to the high winds. Airtankers will be available if requested. 

Today, firefighters will be working to prevent spread to the south near the rural subdivision of Lobstick Resort and the hamlet of Wildwood. Crews will be working to contain fire east of Range Road 92 to prevent spread into rural properties. Firefighters will work 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 will also be working 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.

Firefighters are working in areas of deep burning marsh and peat where crews will have to stir up dirt below the ground surface. Wildfires will burn deep into the ground and re-surface in windy conditions. Crews will be patrolling for any new smokes that travel up to the surface from deep in the ground. Windy conditions will pose problems for wildfire crews working the line. 

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.

If you have any questions or concerns about this wildfire (WCU002) 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.

EWF035 was detected on May 5 and is located 85 km northeast of Peer. The fire is classified as out of control and estimated to be 3381 ha in size.  

WCU001 was detected on April 29 and is classified as out of control on May 5 8:00pm, and has seen increased activity over the past few days and overnight. This wildfire is located approximately 9 km southeast of Evansburg. AB Wildfire is assisting Parkland County. Alberta Wildfire has firefighters, a helicopter and heavy equipment assigned to the wildfire. A dozer group and heavy equipment are on site. The last reported size is 503 ha. This wildfire is moving fast and spreading quickly. 

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.

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) May 5th 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.

Info on municipal Facebook pages and websites for map and updates.

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 38 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 22,649 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 381 wildfires burning a total of 121,910 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.