Edson Forest Area Wildfire Update - July 10, 2024 (6:30 p.m.)

FIRE BAN IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE FOREST PROTECTION AREA

The area is expecting above average temperatures. Crossover conditions are expected. Crossover occurs when the relative humidity is lower than the temperature and this can create extreme wildfire behavior.

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

EWF061 is currently burning out of control 18 km northeast of Cynthia (July 10, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.).

ACTIVE WILDFIRES

EWF061 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL and located 18 km northeast of Cynthia, 20 km southwest of Wildwood and 6.5 km east of highway 753. It's estimated to be 71 ha in size. There are 24 firefighters, six pieces of heavy equipment and two helicopters. Airtankers are responding and additional support has been requested. 

EWF062 is UNDER CONTROL and located 11 km northwest of Peers and 24 km northeast of Edson. Alberta Wildfire and Yellowhead County firefighters are responding to the incident. This wildfire is estimated to be 0.39 ha in size and caused by a downed tree on a powerline. There are no communities at risk. 

WEATHER CONDITIONS - The weather for today calls for a max of 36C and relative humidity of 15%. Winds from the northwest are pushing the wildfire towards the southeast at the moment. 

Tomorrow, we anticipate 29C and relative humidity of 15%. Winds are northeast 10-15 km/h which may push wildfires towards the southwest. Crossover conditions are occurring, which means that the temperatures is higher then the humidity which can create intense fire behaviour. 

EDSON FOREST AREA WILDFIRE UPDATE

The wildfire danger in the Edson Forest Area is now EXTREME. This means that forest fuels are extremely dry and pose a very serious fire risk. Fast-spreading, high-intensity fires are likely, which are very difficult to control. Fire danger is a relative index depicting forest environment conditions, how a fire will behave and how much damage a fire could do. You can view the forecasted fire danger map on our website.

Since January 1, 2024, there have been 62 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 159 hectares (ha).

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. 

A fire ban is in effect as of 4 p.m. on July 10 in the entire Forest Protection Area of Alberta, including the EDSON FOREST AREA, due to hot and dry conditions.

Cities, towns, villages and summer villages, as well as federal lands (such as national parks), are exempt from this ban. These jurisdictions have the authority to issue their own bans and may have complementary bans in place.

Visit Alberta Fire Bans to see if a fire ban or restriction is in place in your area.

Under this fire ban:

• All fire permits are suspended or cancelled.
• No new fire permits will be issued.
• Some allowances can be made for essential agricultural and industrial burning, if approved by a forest officer.

Prohibited:

• All outdoor wood fires, including wood campfires on public land, private land, designated campgrounds, and backyard firepits
• Barbeque charcoal briquettes
• Fireworks and exploding targets

Allowed:

• Propane/ natural gas-powered appliances
• Indoor wood fires inside a structure (such as a facility, building, tent or RV) and contained within a device with a chimney and spark arrestor
• Open flame oil devices (such as deep fryers and tiki torches). All devices must be CSA approved and used per manufacturer’s standards.

If you see a wildfire, report it immediately by calling 310-FIRE.

The fire ban will remain in effect until conditions improve.

PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE UPDATE

The fire danger is high to very high in the central boreal region and extreme throughout the rest of the province.

Since January 1, there have been 647 wildfires recorded in the Forest Protection Area that have burned 177,157 hectares (ha).

Last year, on this date, there was 647 wildfires that burnt a total of 2,153,847 ha. In the past 5 years on this date, an average of 658 wildfires had burnt an average of 223,768 ha.

FIRE PERMITS ARE REQUIRED

Under a FIRE BAN, all permits are cancelled or suspended and no new permits will be issued. 

FIRESMART YOUR HOME

FireSmart is a national program that helps Canadians increase their resilience to wildfire. Whether you are a homeowner, resident, business, local government, or Indigenous community, you can take small steps with lasting impacts.  

Homes and buildings ignite because of the materials, condition, and everything that surrounds them. The area within 30 metres of the home is called the Home Ignition Zone (HIZ). Within it are three priority areas, each requiring specific actions. Start by reducing your risk in the Immediate Zone and work your way outward.

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.