Edson Forest Area Wildfire Update - June 21, 2024

BRING THE CUP HOME - GO, OILERS, GO!

An increased number of abandoned campfires have been found this month. Ensure you fully extinguish your campfire before leaving your site and never leave it unattended.

If you plan to light fireworks or use exploding targets, you must have written permission from a forest officer. Apply for your free fire permit online or contact the forest area office.

If you see smoke or flame in the forest and suspect it's a wildfire, call 310-FIRE (3473) to report it.

EWF053 was detected yesterday and determined to be caused by an abandoned campfire (June 20, 2024).

EDSON FOREST AREA WILDFIRE UPDATE

The wildfire danger in the Edson Forest Area is now MODERATE. This means that creeping or gentle surface fire is likely. To view the forecasted fire danger map, click here.

Since January 1, 2024, there have been 53 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 85 hectares (ha).

Of the 53 wildfires this year, one was caused by lighting and 50 were caused by human activity. All wildfires in Alberta are investigated. To date, the Edson Forest Area determined that nine were caused by residents working or burning on their property, five caused by recreation activities, four by powerlines and three by agricultural activities.

Others are currently under investigation or caused by similar industries and land users.

There has also been seven wildfires this year caused by copper wire burning. That makes up for 13% of our wildfires. We ask the public to report these wildfires to 310-FIRE to ensure the fire is completely extinguished and be reported to the RCMP due to possible illegal activities.

The area has detected an increase in abandoned campfires this month. Please make sure you fully extinguish your campfire and do not leave it unattended. The recent precipitation this spring has not been significant enough to prevent wildfires from spreading. Soak your campfire, stir the ashes and soak it again until the ashes are cool to the touch.

It's important to understand that wildfires caused by humans are rarely arson and anyone could accidently cause a wildfire. Keep watch of your surroundings when working and recreating outdoors and keep the risk of causing a wildfire to a minimum. 

To learn more about wildfire classifications, click here.

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

13% of the wildfires in the Edson Forest Area this year have been caused by illegal copper wire burning (June 2024).

PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE UPDATE

The fire danger is high to very high across most of the province with the exception of moderate fire danger across the Rocky Mountains and southern parts of the agricultural zone.

Since January 1, 2024 in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, there have been 433 wildfires burning a total of 28,150 ha. 

Last year, on this date, there was 661 wildfires that burnt a total of 1,724,930 ha. In the past 5 years on this date, an average of 535 wildfires burnt an average of 504,779 ha.

FIRE PERMITS ARE REQUIRED

All burning within the Forest Protection Area of Alberta requires a burn permit, with the exception of campfire. You can get your free fire permit by applying online or contact your local forest area office at (780) 723-8527 or you can request your permit using the online fire permit portal.

As we move into the summer season, please plan ahead. As the season gets busy, there may be delays for a forest officer to visit your site. Contact us or submit for your permit online as early as possible to ensure you have your permit for when you need it.

FIRESMART YOUR HOME

FireSmart is more than a collection of best-practices, programs, resources, and tools. FireSmart is a way of living with and managing the risk of wildfire. It is a shared responsibility between government, community leaders, neighbourhoods, and residents. Together, we can build a wildfire resilient Alberta. A FireSmart Alberta.

Your actions today can minimize wildfire damage to your home and property tomorrow. Flames aren’t the only threat. An estimated 90% of homes damaged or destroyed by wildfire are ignited by embers. By taking proactive FireSmart measures around your house and yard, you can increase your properties’ resistance to wildfire.

To learn more on how you can protect your home, visit FireSmart Alberta. For farm or acreages, you can download the Farm and Acreage FireSmart magazine.

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.
• If you are working within the Forest Protection of Alberta, you must carry sufficient firefighting equipment as per the Forest Prairie and Protection Act. 
• 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.
  
• To view the provincial wildfire danger map, click here.