A Fire ban remains in effect for the entire forest protection area of Alberta. Thank you for your cooperation in following the fire ban in place.
Hot and dry weather persists through the province, keeping the fire danger at extreme. The area is expecting 20-25 km/h wind gusts during the afternoon and into the evening with a chance of thunderstorms.
If you see smoke or flame in the forest and suspect it's a wildfire, call 310-FIRE (3473) to report it.
This update is best viewed on a web browser or the AB Wildfire Status App | View previous Edson Forest Area Updates. Bold indicates new or important information.
ACTIVE WILDFIRES IN THE EDSON FOREST AREA
Airtankers were dropping retardant on EWF074 late last night (July 18, 2024).
EWF074 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL 45 km northwest of Edson, 55 km northeast of Hinton and 25 km north of Obed. The fire is estimated to be 8 ha in size. Overnight, heavy equipment were able to complete a containment line and returned this morning to further support firefighters.
There are eight firefighters, one helicopter and one water truck associated to the wildfire. Airtankers are available when there are opportunities for effective use.
Emerson campground will be closed as a precautionary measure and will reopen when safe to do so.
EWF072 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL 56 km northwest of Edson, 60 km northeast of Hinton and 37 km north of Obed. The fire is estimated to be 12.6 ha in size. Currently 24 firefighters, one helicopter and three pieces of heavy equipment continue to reinforce the containment lines. They'll be working from the perimeter, searching for and extinguishing hotspots.
EWF069 is currently listed as UNDER CONTROL. The fire is located approximately 25 kilometers southwest of Wolf Lake campground. The fire is estimated to be 0.3 ha in size.
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 74.12 ha in size.
No communities are threatened by these wildfires at this time. The cause of the wildfires are currently under investigation.
Learn more about wildfire classifications. View active wildfires, their locations and stats on the interactive map on our Wildfire Status page.
Firefighters are unloading equipment from a helicopter on EWF074 (July 19, 2024).
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 74 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 185 ha.
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 extreme throughout the central and northern boreal. It is very high with moderate pockets in the southern boreal and the agricultural zone.
Since January 1, there have been 887 wildfires recorded in the Forest Protection Area that have burned 413,462.07 ha.
Last year, on this date, there was 869 wildfires that burnt a total of 2,160,117 ha. In the past 5 years on this date, an average of 731 wildfires had burnt 624,386 ha.
For the most up-to-date wildfire information, visit the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.
FIRE PERMITS ARE REQUIRED
Under a FIRE BAN, all permits are cancelled or suspended and no new permits will be issued. To learn more, visit albertafirebans.ca.
DRONES - IF YOU'RE IN THE SKY, WE CAN'T FLY!
There have been reports of drones being flown in and around restricted air space. If there are drones in areas where aircraft or airtanker are being used for wildfire suppression, we are unable to continue those flights until the space is cleared. A drone could strike an aircraft, causing severe damage to aircraft or a fatality of pilots and firefighters. WE WILL NOT RISK LIVES FOR YOUR DRONES.
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.
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 30m 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.
WILDFIRE PREVENTION TIPS & TOOLS
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.
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:
