Due to very hot and dry conditions, there is increased wildfire activity on many wildfires in our area. Community leaders are advising residents to be prepared and pay attention.
Please do not report smoke or flame from within an active wildfire area. Firefighters are being diverted from essential tasks when responding to existing fires reported by the public. You may see smoke or flame within the existing boundary of a wildfire, this is normal.
If you see smoke or flame outside of an active fire area, report it to 310-FIRE. If you or your property is in immediate danger, call 911.
Previous Edson Forest Area Updates - Click here
Over 200 South African firefighters arrived this week and are working on both the Deep Creek and Pembina Complexes. This photo was taken yesterday when crews were establishing new hose line. (June 7, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.).
BE PREPARED & PAY ATTENTION
SANDRA FROM AB WILDFIRE WILL BE AT THE PEERS MULTIPLEX UNTIL DARK TODAY - JUNE 8, 2023.
MESSAGE FROM YOUR COMMUNITIES
With increased fire activity nearby, and due to current hot weather and dry conditions, everyone should review their emergency preparedness and evacuation plans.
There is no immediate threat to the Town of Edson and surrounding Yellowhead County area right now, but be prepared to evacuate within 24 hours while the fires are active.
Residents should prepare important documents, medications, and other supplies for at least three days. If you are leaving the community for an extended period, take your pets with you or have a plan in place to have your pets evacuated if needed.
Monitor www.edson.ca and www.yhcounty.ca and their social media pages for updates.
All residents are encouraged to download the Alberta Emergency Alert app.
Wildfire prep checklist www.alberta.ca/emergency-preparedness.aspx
Visit our wildfire dashboard to view active wildfires and their stats.
FIRESMART BEGINS AT HOME
Now is as good a time as ever to start thinking about FireSmart, or improving your property to protect it from possible wildfire.
We strongly encourage those with homes, cabins and other structures to FireSmart their properties to limit the impacts of a potential wildfire reaching your door step. To learn more on how you can protect your home and structures from wildfire, visit firesmartcanada.ca or click here to watch videos. FireSmart Canada has also developed a FREE one-hour course for those who are getting started with FireSmart. Click here to learn more.
For those that have farm or acreages, this publication may be helpful to keep you FireSmart. Click on the link for the Farm and Acreage FireSmart Magazine.
You can also check out this handy Last-Minute Wildfire Checklist.
PEMBINA WILDFIRE COMPLEX | EWF031, EWF039, RWF034, RWF040
There are 238 firefighters and incident management team (IMT) support staff being shared between all fires on the Complex. There are 65 pieces of heavy equipment, and 21 helicopters assigned to the complex. An airtanker group is available to respond if necessary.
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 130,762 ha in size.
Over the next 72 hours, sustained extreme wildfire behaviour will be occurring throughout areas of EWF031. Currently, southeast winds are pushing fire behaviour in a northwest direction and challenging containment lines. Areas of increased activity on the east flank include the northeast tip, just west of Wolf Creek (approximately 13 kilometers from the Town of Edson), the area just north of Minnow Lake, and the area just west of Rat Creek. The west flank has also been extremely active today. Approximately 10 kilometres east of the Sundance Road the fire perimeter has crossed dozer guard and personnel in the area have withdrawn due to safety concerns. As fire behaviour increases, crews are continuing to be repositioned in areas where they can safely work.
A strong cold front will be arriving this Saturday evening, June 10, which will bring erratic northwest winds to the area which is anticipated to increase fire behaviour along the east flank of the fire.
Personnel are conducting planned ignition operations on areas of the fire that are presenting favourable conditions to strengthen containment lines. When unburned pockets of fuel remain within the fire perimeter they pose a risk for potential spotting beyond containment lines. By utilizing planned ignition operations, aerial and ground support resources are able to take advantage of conditions that allow them to remove available fuel adjacent to existing containment line. Should these unburned fuels ignite naturally under adverse wind conditions, ground resources may be challenged.
EWF039 located near Carrot Creek, is currently being held. The fire is currently estimated to be 165 ha. The fire is fully wrapped in containment line and is a kilometer away from the Carrot Creek lookout tower. The Lookout staff will keep watch over the area.
RWF034 is located near the O'Chiese Reserve and classified as out of control. The fire is currently estimated at 87,108 ha in size.
On the south side of RWF034 along the Brazeau River, dozer guard construction was completed on Sunday. Crews are supporting the guard and monitoring conditions working south along the west flank.
Today, personnel working on containment line on the west flank of the fire working in the north direction were withdrawn for safety concerns though no immediate threat was present. Operations will be reevaluated over the coming days. The majority of the containment line will be pre-existing roads.
RWF040 The fire is actively monitored by firefighters and support staff assigned to the complex who can respond if necessary. The fire is currently estimated to be 5,089 ha in size and remains classified as out of control. Containment line was completed a couple of days ago around the east, south, and west sides of the fire. Crews will continue working from the Blackstone River clockwise around the fire perimeter. Crews are actively supporting the guard with the installation of water systems which includes hose and pumps.
The onsite Incident Management Team is continuing to collaborate with all partners and communities within the vicinity of this wildfire to ensure public safety.
New information on this complex will be available tomorrow. To view previous Edson Forest Area Updates - Click here.
By: Sarah Hall, Pembina Complex. Wildfire Information Officer, BC Wildfire Service.
DEEP CREEK WILDFIRE COMPLEX | EWF035, WCU001, WCU002
WCU001 was detected on April 29 and remains classified as out of control. The wildfire is estimated to be 6284 hectares, no new growth has been 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 it spread just north of Wildwood and now rests at Chip Lake.
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’s status remains out of control. It is estimated to be 2478 hectares.
Work continues to be done north of Wildwood west of highway 22 to flood heavily peated areas on fires WCU002. A high-volume pump is set up at the Cattle Farm on the west side of highway 22, working to flood peat areas. Firefighters are working in conjunction with the high-volume pump using 1.5” hose to nozzle water deep into the peat as they work with handtools, pumps and hose at this location. Firefighters and heavy equipment are also working near Range Road 91 on WCU001.
A reminder that deep ash pits and burning peat are dangerous. We continue to ask residents to be extra cautious near burnt areas.
We also ask residents to avoid venturing into forested areas that have been recently affected by wildfire as they can present other hazards such as falling trees, as a result of root systems being compromised by fire.
EWF035 was detected on May 5. The northern portion of the fire is located 2 km east of Shining Bank Lake, reaching north and east across Township Road 560 and as far south as approximately 2 km north of the Niton Junction railway.
This wildfire is classified as out of control and is estimated to be 19,567 ha. The wildfire is south of Township Road 570, has burnt down to the south and continues to a site two kilometers north of the railroad track in Niton Junction. The fire moved across the Range Road 123 and burnt up to the Lobstick River.
Fire behavior increased steadily on EWF035 throughout the afternoon. Significant smoke columns were visible more notably on the west side of the fire, south of Township Road 560. The temperature rose to 26 degrees this afternoon, and is expected to be warmer tomorrow. Moderate winds with higher gusts were pushing smoke generally towards the west for most of the day. The skies are clearly smoky tonight over the Deep Creek Complex.
Firefighters and heavy equipment were actively working on areas of the fire that were seeing increased fire activity while helicopters bucketed water strategically from overhead.
A bucketing helicopter refills a Nodwell on the fireline of EWF035 (June 8, 2023)
The most active sections of the fire today were on the southern half of EWF035 located south of the Township Road 560 and closer to the western flank. Previously unburned vegetation including forested areas with a high conifer component facilitated an increase in the fire behavior with the hot and windy weather. Another section further south became more active later in the afternoon, in an area generally west of Range Road 132.
We are expecting two more days of warm and windy conditions, tomorrow’s high is forecasted to be 28 degrees and Saturday may reach the 30-degree mark. There is no precipitation in the forecast until late in the day on Saturday.
Evacuation orders as well as an evacuation alert have been issued for select residents on the west side of EWF035 this afternoon. Specific details about the areas affected can be found on the Yellowhead County website at Alerts & Notices - Yellowhead County (yhcounty.ca) or their Facebook Page.
Fire behaviour typically increases during the “peak burning period”. This is normally mid-afternoon, when temperatures are hottest and relative humidity drops. Fire activity tends to slow down in the morning and late evenings when temperatures are cooler and humidity levels are higher.
There are 116 firefighters assigned to the Deep Creek Complex, six helicopters, 40 pieces of heavy equipment and 35 overhead staff that are part of the incident management team and crew supervision. An incident management team from Ontario with members from Alberta is working alongside overhead staff and firefighters from Prince Edward Island, Australia, British Columbia, the United States, South Africa and dedicated Alberta Wildfire staff on the Deep Creek Complex.
An overview flight of EWF035 this afternoon shows intense fire behaviour (June 8, 2023)
Previous Edson Forest Area Updates - Click here.
By: Isabelle Chenard. Wildfire Information Officer, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Contact: 780-728-5843.
WILD HAY WILDFIRE COMPLEX | EWF037 and EWF040
The Wild Hay Complex is comprised of two wildfires, EWF037 and EWF040. They are both located south of the Little Smoky River, north of the Wild Hay River and east of Hwy 40 north. The complex is 63 km north of Hinton. EWF040 is producing a lot of smoke that can be seen from far away, including from Hinton.
EWF040 is now out of control and now estimated to be 944 ha and growing, it escaped its wildfire boundary yesterday is burning north north-west from it's original area and has crossed the the Berland River and is now burning in the Whitecourt Forest Area.
EWF037 continues to be classified as being held at 578 ha.
GENERAL INFORMATION ON WILDFIRES IN OUR AREA
AREA CHALLENGES | This has been an unprecedented wildfire season; one that has resulted in many challenges for wildfire staff across the province. In response Alberta has been working with our partners to meet the demands for personnel and equipment needed to fight the numerous wildfires we have seen this spring. In the Edson Forest Area we currently have crews and support staff from all over Canada and the world, including U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, B.C., P.E.I., Newfoundland and Ontario.
WORK OR RECREATE NEAR WILDFIRE AREAS | We urge residents and members of the public to use extra caution near burnt areas. There are many hazards that may not be visible, like deep burning ash pits and falling trees. Burnt trees are a serious hazard, and trees that may look healthy that have green needles or leaves could have burnt out roots under the ground and fall unexpectedly. Keep in mind that trees and powerlines could also fall on the road and block your vehicle. Do not approach powerlines as they could be energized.
SMOKE | Lingering smoke can still be visible in some areas and in affected communities. Smoke inversions can trap air near the ground causing dangerous driving conditions and impacting nearby communities. If you have smoke related health concerns, please contact Alberta 811 or visit Alberta Health Services . Visit firesmoke.ca for current and forecasted smoke.
REPORTING WILDFIRES | We always appreciate people calling in to report wildfires but the large volume of calls we are receiving could be diverting our resources away from other essential tasks. As always, 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. If you or your property are in immediate danger, call 911.
AIRCRAFT NEAR WATER | Depending on the location of a wildfire, firefighting aircraft may need to use water from nearby lakes as a source of water to help fight wildfires. Often, these aircraft arrive without advanced warning. If you are in the water and see an aircraft coming in to collect water, please move within 30 m from the shore so these aircraft can safely resume firefighting efforts. Aircraft are large and require space to collect water, without interference from people and boats. Help us by staying out of the way when aircraft are around. Click here to learn more.
DRONES | 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
WILDFIRE PREPARDNESS | Learn how you can prepare yourself for a wildfire by clicking here.
WILDFIRE INVESTIGATIONS | Wildfires in Alberta are either human-caused or caused by lightning. Every wildfire in Alberta is investigated and the wildfires mentioned remain under investigation.
WILDFIRE CLASSIFICATIONS | To learn more about wildfire classifications, click here.
WILDFIRE MAPS AND BOUNDARIES | Note that wildfire perimeter maps are 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. Visit our Wildfire Dashboard to view active wildfires and their stats on the wildfire dashboard. Click on "view interactive map". You can choose different basemaps by selecting the four squares icon, or layers by clicking on the three sheets of paper on the top right corner.
**Bold indicates new or important information.
We encourage the public and industry to download the AB Fire Bans app or visit the website to learn more about prohibited and allowed actives under this restriction. If you are looking for information regarding crown land, click on the area you plan to visit and not the nearest town. Be advised that Alberta Parks has it's own set of fire ban levels, please visit their website for more information.
The fire restriction will remain in effect until conditions improve. To view the Alberta Wildfire Fire Ban video, click here.
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.
- For road closure information, please visit 511.alberta.ca
- For information regarding smoke in the area, you can visit firesmoke.ca
- NASA FIRMS Fire Information website is a great resource to give an idea of the location of wildfires in the area, but note that the data is based on interpolation and often can make the wildfire look larger then it actually is.
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:
