An evacuation order has been issued for Jasper National Park and the Town of Jasper. There is no threat to communities in Yellowhead County, the Town of Hinton or the Town of Edson.
The smoke settling over Yellowhead County, Town of Hinton and Town of Edson is not produced by a wildfire in our forest area. See below for further details.
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.
EWF086 is currently listed as being held and is estimated to be one ha is size (July 23, 2024).
WILDFIRES OUTSIDE OF THE EDSON FOREST AREA
The smoke settling over Yellowhead County, Town of Hinton and Town of Edson is not produced by a wildfire in our forest area.
Smoke columns from the wildfires in Jasper may be visible from some regions in Yellowhead County. The current wildfires are not an immediate threat to any areas outside Jasper National Park and the Jasper townsite.
The wildfire located north of Jasper along Highway 16 is currently 39 km south-southwest of Brule and 61 km south-southwest of Hinton.
The wildfire located south of Jasper along Highway 93 is currently 45 km southwest of Cadomin and 71 km south-southwest of Hinton.
9-1-1 calls are for immediate emergency calls only. If you see smoke or flame and suspect that it is a new wildfire, call 310-FIRE (3473).
We will continue to monitor the situation and Yellowhead County and Alberta Wildfire will continue to work together to inform residents and industry as we receive updates from Jasper National Park and the Town of Jasper.
You can view smoke drifts from the FireSmoke.ca website.
Check Alberta 511 on their website or download the app for road conditions and closures. We will provide an update as soon as new information is available.
NASA FIRMS Fire Information website is a great resource to give an approximate location of hotspots in an area, but cannot always be used to determine specifically where a wildfire is burning. The heat from smoke columns, reflections from water and other heat signatures will appear on the map. It's important to note that the data is based on a mathematical estimate (interpolation) and can often make a wildfire appear larger than it actually is.
Please go to Yellowhead County website or their social media page for recent updates.
It's always best to pay attention and be prepared - visit Emergency Preparedness for Wildfires, Evacuations, Livestock to learn more.
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 88 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 270 ha. All wildfires are investigated in Alberta.
ACTIVE WILDFIRES IN THE EDSON FOREST AREA
WEATHER FORECAST Tomorrow, a high 26C with 25% relative humidity. Winds from the northeast 15-20 km/h with a chance of thunderstorms are expected.
EWF088 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL 14 km southwest of Cynthia. It's estimated to be 0.5 ha in size. There are seven firefighters and two pieces of heavy equipment supporting firefighting activities. The cause of the wildfire is under investigation.
EWF086 is now BEING HELD, which means that given current weather conditions and resources, the wildfire is not anticipated to grow past expected boundaries. It's located 11 km northeast of Cynthia and 30 km south of Chip Lake It's estimated to be 1 ha in size. There are four firefighters and one helicopters supporting firefighting activities. This wildfire was determined to be caused by lightning.
EWF083 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL 37 km northeast of Hinton, 87 km southwest of Fox Creek and 110 km east-southeast of Grande Cache. It is estimated to be 0.62 ha in size. There is one firefighter and two pieces of heavy equipment supporting firefighting activities. This wildfire was determined to be caused by lightning.
EWF081 is now BEING HELD, which means that given current weather conditions and resources, the wildfire is not anticipated to grow past expected boundaries. This fire is located 37 km southwest of Edson, 25 km northeast of Robb and 66 km southeast of Hinton. This fire is located beside EWF075 and EWF077. It's estimated to be 9.2 ha in size.
EWF080 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL. This wildfire is located in Willmore Wilderness Park, 50 km south-southeast of Grande Cache and 80 km west of Hinton. It's estimated to be 70 ha in size.
EWF078 is now BEING HELD, which means that given current weather conditions and resources, the wildfire is not anticipated to grow past expected boundaries. The wildfire is located 53 km south-southwest of Edson and 33 km southeast of Robb. The fire is estimated to be 0.56 ha in size. The wildfire was determined to have been caused by lightning.
EWF076 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL approximately 24 km south-southwest from Hinton, 7 km south-southeast of Folding Mountain Village and 6 km northeast of Miette Hotsprings. The wildfire is estimated to be 1 ha in size. The wildfire is located on top of a mountain ridge, making it difficult for firefighters to access.
EWF074 is now classified as UNDER CONTROL. It's located 45 km northwest of Edson, 55 km northeast of Hinton and 25 km north of Obed. The fire is estimated to be 8.6 ha in size. The wildfire was determined to be caused by lightning. The wildfire will be monitored for wildfire activity and actioned if required.
EWF072 is now UNDER CONTROL . It is located 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, 17 firefighters and four pieces of heavy equipment continue to reinforce the containment lines. They'll be working from the perimeter, searching for and extinguishing hotspots. The wildfire was determined to be caused by lightning.
EBZ001 is a mutual aid wildfire on the boarder of British Columbia and the Edson Forest Area, within Willmore Wilderness Park. It's currently burning OUT OF CONTROL 56 km southwest of Grande Cache, 98 km west of Rock Lake and 147 km west-northwest of Hinton. It is estimated to be 340 ha in size.
No communities are threatened by these wildfires at this time.
Learn more about wildfire classifications. View active wildfires, their locations and stats on the interactive map on our Wildfire Status page.
Edson airtanker base has been very busy supporting wildfires in both the Edson Forest Area and our partners in Jasper National Park (July 23, 2024).
ACTIVE WILDFIRES IN JASPER NATIONAL PARK
An evacuation order has been issued for Jasper National Park and the Town of Jasper.
Update from Parks Canada (below), as of July 23, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.
Wildfire Update | The Town of Jasper and Jasper National Park have been evacuated due to active wildfires. The evacuation of the townsite is complete, and the evacuation of hikers in the backcountry is ongoing.
Our priority is to protect the town and community of Jasper, limiting wildfire growth towards the town, Highway 16, and critical infrastructure. Jasper National Park and the Town of Jasper have mobilized all available resources, with federal, provincial, and municipal agencies all dedicated to supporting firefighting and protecting the town.
Resources | Structural protection crews and specialists are installing structure protection sprinklers and hose lines throughout the community. Another high-volume system is being established at the southwest perimeter of the town. We continue to import additional firefighting resources.
Firefighting efforts include aerial suppression with multiple aircraft and airtankers and plans to establish control lines using heavy equipment and dozers. CN is assisting with their specialized train water tank along the rail line. We continue to monitor the wildfire from the air and with satellite imagery and have roving personnel on watch throughout the night.
North Wildfire | Located between the Transfer Station and the Jasper Air Strip on both sides of Highway 16. Minimum area burned estimated : 270 hectares.
South Wildfire | The south end of the wildfire is near Kerkeslin campground. It follows the Icefields Parkway (93N) north to near Horseshoe Lake. The wildfire crosses 93N, a few kilometers south of Wabasso campground. The northeast extent of the fire is near Wabasso Lake. Minimum area burned estimated: 6750 hectares
We will keep the public informed about wildfire activity and our firefighting response as more information becomes available. This is a dynamic and evolving situation.
Check Alberta Emergency Alerts for up-to-date information on evacuation alerts and orders.
Additional information will be available on the Jasper National Park Facebook page and Municipality of Jasper page for updates.
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 and learn what is prohibited and allowed under this ban.
The fire ban will remain in effect until conditions improve.
PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE UPDATE
As of 10:00 a.m. on July 23, 2024.
The fire danger is extreme throughout all of the province except for along the BC border, where it is low to high.
Since January 1, 2024 in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, there have been 940 wildfires burning a total of 535,082 hectares (ha).
Last year, on this date, there were 905 wildfires that burnt a total of 2,160,074 ha. In the past five years on this date, an average of 756 wildfires had burnt an average of 628,223 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 airtankers 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 damage to aircraft and severe injuries or 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.
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:
