Edson Forest Area Wildfire Update - July 17, 2024

A fire ban remains in effect for the entire Forest Protection Area of Alberta.

Weather forecasts continue to call for high (30+) temperatures with little precipitation in the next week. There will be a chance of lightning in the evenings and the wildfire danger remains extreme. Continue to exercise caution in forested areas.

Thank you for your cooperation in following the fire bans in place. Everyone has a part to play in preventing wildfire.

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

EWF069 is currently listed as Under Control.

(July 17, 2024)

ACTIVE WILDFIRES IN THE EDSON FOREST AREA 

EWF061 is currently Under Control. The wildfire is located 18 km northeast of Cynthia, 20 km southwest of Wildwood and 6.5 km east of highway 753. It's estimated to be 73.5 hectares (ha) in size. 

EWF069 is currently listed as Under Control. The fire is located approximately 25 kilometers southwest of Wolf Lake campground. It has been mapped at 0.3 hectares (ha) in size.

REPORTED DRONE USE IN THE EDSON FOREST PROTECTION AREA

There have been reports of drones being flown in and around restricted air space.  If there are drones in areas where aircraft is being used to either fight a fire or near airtanker bases then we are unable to continue those flights until the space is cleared. 

Before you fly your drone make sure you understand the rules that apply and follow them.  

For more information, please visit:

Safety for drones and firefighting aircraft

or

Transport Canada’s legal requirements

EDSON FOREST AREA WILDFIRE UPDATE

The wildfire danger in the Edson Forest Area is EXTREME. This means that forest fuels are extremely dry and pose a very serious fire risk. Fast-spreading, high-intensity fires are likely, which may be 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. View the forecasted fire danger map.

Since January 1, 2024, there have been 69 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 164 hectares (ha).

Learn more about wildfire classifications.

View active wildfires, their locations and stats on the interactive map on our Wildfire Status page.

A fire ban is in effect as of 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 moderate to high in the northern Rockies and very high to extreme throughout the rest of the province.

Since January 1, there have been 848 wildfires recorded in the Forest Protection Area that have burned 293,518.22 hectares.

Last year, on this date, there was 863 wildfires that burnt a total of 2,160,078.88 ha. In the past 5 years on this date, an average of 718 wildfires had burnt 621,926.63 ha.

For the most up-to-date wildfire information, visit the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.   

Wildfires of note:   

There are four wildfires of note in the Forest Protection Area. These will be updated after 11 a.m. 

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.