A DRONE IN THE SKY MEANS WE CAN'T FLY!
Information Stations | Deep Creek Complex | May 20 & 21
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 extra caution when working and recreating.
Previous Edson Forest Area Updates - Click here
Firefighters and heavy equipment was preparing to move fires between WCU001 & WCU002 (May 19, 2023)
DEEP CREEK COMPLEX INFORMATION STATION
Tara will be hosting an information station tomorrow, look for the orange wildfire tent at the following locations:
SATURDAY & SUNDAY MAY 20/21, 2023
Peers Fire Hall | 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Wildwood Fire Hall (across street) | 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Niton Junction Gas Stations (Hwy 16) | 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
GENERAL INFORMATION ON WILDFIRES IN OUR AREA
The area continues to have limited resources due to these exceptional times. We're sharing valuable resources with many other wildfires in the province but continue to work on and monitor the following wildfires in our area: WCU001, WCU002, EWF035, EWF031, EWF039, EWF037, EWF040 and new starts that are detected.
Firefighters, aircraft, and heavy equipment have been working in conjunction with county and municipal firefighting services as aggressively as possible to make progress on these wildfires while the conditions have been favorable. Despite all of this hard work, there are still hundreds of kilometers of uncontained wildfire perimeter and fire behaviour forecasts indicate that there will be growth on many of the wildfires throughout the Edson Forest Area.
Smoke will be heavy again today and tomorrow in the areas of Wildwood, Lobstick, Hansonville, Evansburg and Entwistle. Lingering smoke will be seen along highway 16 and highway 22 and in affected communities. A smoke inversion happens when cooler air is trapped near the ground by a layer of warmer air above it and the inversion will keep smoke close the ground level. Smoke inversions can cause dangerous driving conditions and impact nearby communities. Please use EXTRA CAUTION WHEN DRIVING IN SMOKY CONDITIONS!
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. As always, please still call 310-FIRE if you see smoke or flame that looks new and potentially unreported, but assume that large columns of smoke and burned over areas have already been detected and reported. Thank you!
The great news is that outside resources are arriving daily. We currently have the following from all over North America.
Alaska: 22 wildland firefighters. British Columbia: 19 wildland firefighters, 19 overhead staff. Canadian Armed Forces: 300 wildland firefighters, 2 overhead. CIFFC: 4 overhead staff. Montana: 1 overhead staff. New Brunswick: 40 wildland firefighters, 3 overhead staff. Ontario: 119 wildland firefighters, 62 overhead staff. Oregon: 4 wildland firefighters, 17 overhead staff. Parks Canada: 10 wildland firefighters, 20 overhead staff. Prince Edward Island: 1 overhead staff, Quebec: 52 wildland firefighters, 15 overhead staff. USA: 266 wildland firefighters, 65 overhead staff. Washington: 32 wildland, firefighters, 1 overhead staff. Yukon: 37 wildland firefighters, 3 overhead staff.
All wildfires in Alberta are investigated and these wildfires remain under investigation. To learn more about wildfire classifications, click here.
ACTIVE WILDFIRES
PEMBINA WILDFIRE COMPLEX - EWF031/039, RWF034/040
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 is estimated to be 82,666 ha in size. Containment line is established on the northwest tip of the fire.
There were 77 firefighters and support staff being shared between this fire and EWF039. There were 34 pieces of heavy equipment, and eight helicopters assigned to the complex. An airtanker group was available to respond if necessary.
With the increased westerly winds this afternoon, increased fire behaviour was observed on the eastern side, just west of Dora’s Corner. Heavy equipment working in that area was assessed for alternative containment lines. Crews were working on the south portion of the northwest side to mop up a minor spot that occurred yesterday. Significant growth occurred over the course of May 17 and 18 east of the Repsol Road, burning south towards fire RWF034. The Growth has been primarily in the southwest direction. Heavy equipment has completed the containment line from Wolf Creek to Minnow Lake East Road and Delmar Road south towards Dora’s Corner. The containment line around Minow Lake has been completed. Today, containment lines will continue south from Dora’s Corner, on the east side.
Today, 10-15 km/h southwest winds shifted to northwest 15-20 km/h and gusting up to 40 around noon today. Some precipitation is in the forecast but the weekend is expected to be hot and dry.
EWF039 located near Carrot Creek, is currently being held. The fire is currently estimated to be 216 ha. The fire is fully wrapped in containment line and is a kilometer away from the Carrot Creek lookout tower. Crews have successfully left the area and will be repositioned on fire EWF031. Personnel are continuing to monitor the area available to respond if necessary.
RWF034 is located near the O'Chiese Reserve and classified as out of control. The fire is currently estimated at 67,042 ha in size. There are 57 firefighters and support staff working on this fire. There are three helicopters assigned to the fire and three additional helicopters assigned to the complex. In addition, there are 23 pieces of heavy equipment.
Today, crews successfully tied the containment line into the Brazeau Reservoir. With the intense winds coming from the north this afternoon, the southern containment line near the O’Chiese Reserve was held. The southwest side of the fire, closest to where the Brazeau River and Blackstone River meet was active today. Today, 10-15 km/h southwest winds shifted to northwest 15-20 km/h and gusting up to 40 around noon today.
RWF040 is located 6 km northeast if the Forestry Trunk Road and Brown Creek Provincial Recreational Area and is classified as out of control. The fire is being monitored by firefighters and support staff assigned to the complex and are able to respond if necessary. The fire is currently estimated to be 2,836 ha in size. The updated size is attributed to some fire growth that occurred in the south and because of more accurate mapping.
If you have any questions or concerns about the PEMBINA COMPLEX please call the Wildfire Information Officer Sarah Hall at 250-318-8375.
Fire behaviour on fire EWF-03131, east of Minnow Lake (May 19, 2023)
DEEP CREEK WILDFIRE COMPLEX – EWF035, WCU001 & WCU002
An incident management team from the U.S Forest Service along with many of their firefighters have arrived on May 14 to assist our area with one of the three wildfire complexes in the area. We want to thank our American friends for coming to assist us. A special arrangement has been in place for many years between Canada, the U.S, Australia and other countries that have similar firefighting training standards. We take safety and training very seriously and always seek to improve our operations.
WCU001 was detected on April 29 and is classified as out of control. The wildfire remains at 7,281 ha in size, no new growth was recorded outside the fire perimeter. The wildfire zone is located southeast of Entwistle and west over the Pembina River where it spread north and travelled over Highway 16. The wildfire is parallel with Highway 16 and moved further west where the wildfire spread just north of Wildwood and now rests at Chip Lake.
Patches of unburned vegetation may burn inside the perimeter of the fire and large smoke columns may be seen coming from within the fire perimeter. Helicopters will action these flare-ups as required throughout the day using bucketing operations.
Wildfire crews continue working in areas of deep peat south of WCU001 that are within the fire perimeter. Highway 16 will experience smoke from the active wildfire zone due to the hotspots near the highway.
There wasn't as much fire activity observed on WCU001 today.
WCU002 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 is estimated to be 2,400 ha in size. There was no new growth outside of the fire perimeter detected. Patches of unburned fuel within the boundaries flared up again and were actioned with helicopter bucketing operations.
Smoke will continue be very visible to residents in the area which is being produced from the interior of the fire. These areas of unburnt fuel are surrounded by burned out areas and are within the perimeter boundary. The smoke can be a benefit, dampening the wildfire behaviour but can cause health concerns. If you're experiencing smoke related health concerns, you can contact AB 811. Smoke will linger along Highway 16 as crews work to extinguish hotspots. The wildfire has stayed south of Township Road 550 and east of Range Road 92 and west of Range Road 75. Alberta Wildfire and Yellowhead County are actioning this wildfire.
Some fire activity was seen on WCU002, airtankers were assisting the firefighters earlier today.
WF035 was detected on May 5 and is located 3 km east of Shining Bank. This wildfire is classified as out of control and estimated to be 8,791 ha in size. The wildfire is south of Township Road 570, west of Range Road 123, north the fire is now south of Twp 560, it has spotted a few places over East Bank Road but is not active at this time. The fire remains east of Shining Bank Lake.
There was significant growth again on the wildfire today. The fire burnt towards the south south-east very quickly. Tomorrow, we expect southeast winds, potentially spreading the fire towards the northwest, back into spruce stands. Temperatures will be similar as today ranging in the mid to high 20s with relative humidity near 25%. These crossover conditions mean that we expect similar fire behaviour again tomorrow. A new boundary map is being generated to show the growth.
Sunday, we expect slightly lower temperatures and higher humidity with winds from the north-northeast. Some rain is forecasted for the next two days, however the little precipitation will not be significant enough to improve hot and dry conditions.
SOUTHEAST OF EWF035
The fire intensity was intense near 11:00 a.m. and progressed to extreme fire behaviour by noon. The fire spread quickly to the south-southeast through spruce stands and as of 5:00 p.m. the fire moved directly towards the south.
Medium helicopters were bucketing around structures where conditions permitted but had to move away from the wildfire as winds and smoke made it difficult to bucket safely and effectively. Heavy helicopters were also present today, bucketing on structures and around homes, attempting to cool the conditions near the community. The heavy (large) helicopters will also be available tomorrow to assist on the fire.
Seven pieces of heavy equipment were attempting to build a containment line starting from Twp 560 and move towards the south on the northeast side of the wildfire when they encountered a wall of flame that forced them to retreat to safety towards the south. The safety of our firefighters and operators are our first priority. You can see the equipment “walking out” of the forest to avoid being burnt over in the video below.
Firefighters reported seeing 150 ft high flames from the trees and estimate that the fire moved approximately 60 meters per minute.
Yesterday, airtankers had built a containment line with retardant on the southwest side of the fire. The fire burnt over it very quickly. Under these extreme fire behaviour conditions, helicopter water buckets, water skimmers and airtankers with retardant are often not effective due to the heat. They are effective under certain conditions and not always the best tool for the job. The fire also can spot ahead of itself and over containment lines of any type, especially under these rates of spread.
NORTHWEST OF EWF035
Dozer operators and land owners were assisting with a dozer line to help contain the fire from the 560 moving south along East Bank Road, on the east side of the road. Although we appreciate the help from the public where possible, this is a special situation where the land owners are able to work closely with industry in ensuring the safety of the pipelines and the operators.
Today, firefighters continued with the hand ignition burning operation from East Bank Road and moved into the interior of the fire. This burn will add protection to nearby properties, removing available fuel for the fire later on, if the winds change direction. The operation is successful, the winds are in favor for firefighters and they'll continue on this road tomorrow. Residents will see smoke from this area, but the fire is being managed and monitored by firefighters. The fire did spot across the river into agricultural land in a few places and fortunately the landowner was able to put out the hotspots on their land.
NORTHEAST OF EWF035
Firefighters successfully established a containment line that runs from the 570 down to the 560 on the east side of the wildfire. They nearly completed the hand ignition burn operation, removing as much fuel as possible in the area. Firefighters had to cease their operations as relative humidity and the vegetation was too wet to burn. You can see in the photo below from this morning that most of the vegetation has now been burnt off and the dozer line is well established.
The fire continues to “hop and skip” (see photo below), mostly through spruce stands which are very flammable, especially in these weather conditions. In this area, the fire is burning easily through conifer (spruce) stands but slows down when it reaches deciduous (poplar/aspen) stands, or low, wet and swampy stand. Fortunately, the wildfire slows down when it reaches cut blocks as it has no substantial fuel to burn.
We ask that you stay out of these areas, if aircraft see members of the public near burning areas, they cannot do their job effectively. You may be unintentionally impeding our operations, please give our firefighters the room and time they need to complete their tasks.
By: Caroline Charbonneau.
If you have any questions or concerns about the DEEP CREEK COMPLEX please call the Wildfire Information Officer - Caroline Charbonneau at 780-740-1341.
Dozers retreating via an emergency route to avoid a burn over from rapidly advancing flaming front on EWF-035
(May 19, 2023) (To view the video, open update in app or webpage)
WILD HAY WILDFIRE COMPLEX - EWF037 and EWF040
There are multiple wildfires located south of the Little Smoky River, north of the Wild Hay River and east of Hwy 40 north. These also include the areas near the Willow Haul Road and the Jack Wright Road north of Hinton. These wildfires were formerly reported as five separate fires, but due to more accurate GPS measuring, have been determined to be two larger fires. EWF037 is out of control at 578 ha and EWF040 is out of control at 684 ha.
Today crews successfully attained their dozer guard objectives around EWF-040. Firefighters will be focusing strategically on extinguishing hotspots in the following days.
There was no perimeter growth on the complex today. The containment lines around the fires have withheld. Smoke and flame may still be observed within the interior of both EWF-037 and EWF-040.
There were three helicopters, six pieces of heavy equipment and four wildfire personnel working on this complex today.
PUBLIC WILDFIRE MAPS
Edson Forest Area Overview Map - May 17, 2023 - public map - Click here.
Deep Creek Wildfire Complex (EWF-035, WCU002 and WCU001) May 17, 2023 - public map - Click here.
EWF035 Wildfire May 17, 2023 - public map - Click here.
Pembina Wildfire Complex (EWF031, EWF039, RWF034, RWF040) May 17, 2023 - public map - Click here.
EWF031 Wildfire May 17, 2023 - public map - Click here.
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.
WILDFIRE LINKS AND TOOLS
Visit our Wildfire Dashboard to view active wildfires and their stats on the wildfire dashboard.
There are multiple EVACUATION ORDERS & ALERTS in the Province. Please visit Alberta Emergency Alerts or your community webpage for more information.
For road closure information, please visit: https://511.alberta.ca/#:Alerts
The NASA FIRMS Fire Information website is a great resource to give an idea of the location of wildfires in the area, but it should be noted that this data is based on interpolation and often can make a wildfire appear larger than it actually is.
Wildfire smoke is a tool used for the location of smoke firesmoke.ca
PROVINCIAL STATE OF EMERGENCY
Hot, dry conditions continue in most areas of the province resulting in numerous wildfires. A provincial state of emergency has been declared. Albertans who require assistance can call 310-4455 for wildfire related information - Click here.
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.
*Transport Canada
VOLUNTEER INFORMATION
Volunteers, equipment owners/operators or firefighters looking to assist with these wildfires or any of the wildfires within the province, please contact EmergencySupportOffers@gov.ab.ca. Please do not contact Edson Forest Area logistics directly, as they are extremely busy supporting the wildfire situation in the area. Thank you.
COMMUNITY EMERGENCY INFORMATION | EVACUATIONS
A MESSAGE FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES
If you are evacuating, gather important documents, medication, and enough food and water to be away from home for at least 3 days. Take pets with you.
For updates from Yellowhead County and Town of Edson, please visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/yellowheadcounty or www.yhcounty.ca for updates. Evacuees can call 1-833-334-4630 for more information.
For updates from Parkland County, 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 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 and click here for more information.
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.
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:
