A FIRE RESTRICTION remains in effect for the Edson Forest Area. Safe campfires in designated campgrounds and private land is allowed. Wood campfires and other activities are restricted on crown land.
Never leave a campfire unattended. Soak it, stir it and soak it again until cool to the touch to ensure it is extinguished.
If you see smoke or flame in the forest and suspect it's a wildfire, call 310-FIRE.
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.
Extinguishing hotspots is an important part of the process. It requires digging into the ground and under roots to ensure no heat remains that could cause the wildfire to continue burning (Edson helitack crew EH03, 2024).
LONG WEEKEND MESSAGE
With the August Long Weekend right around the corner, Alberta Wildfire would like to remind anyone heading out to our forested areas to be responsible. Many areas of the province are under fire advisories, restrictions, and bans. Make sure to check the area you are going to ensure fires are permitted and be prepared if they are not.
Propane fire pits are still allowed during a fire restriction but wood burning fires are not unless on private land or in a designated campground with metal rings. The wildfire danger is growing in the province so keep watch of your surroundings. If you are having a campfire, never leave it unattended and ensure it is fully extinguished before you leave.
EDSON FOREST AREA WILDFIRE UPDATE
The wildfire danger in the Edson Forest Area is HIGH. This means that forest fuels are dry and fire risk is serious. Moderate to vigorous surface fire is expected, which may spread to treetops. Conditions may be challenging for fire suppression efforts.
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 94 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 279 ha. All wildfires are investigated in Alberta.
ACTIVE WILDFIRES IN THE EDSON FOREST AREA
EWF094 is now BEING HELD and located 59 km northeast of Grande Cache and 92 km northwest of Hinton. It's estimated to be 0.5 ha in size. Yesterday, 16 firefighters, one helicopter and the assistance of airtankers and heavy equipment from our industry partners made quick work and contained the wildfire before nightfall.
Today, four firefighters are returning to the site to continue extinguishing the wildfire. An investigator will also arrive today to determine if the fire was human or lightning-caused.
EWF080 is now UNDER CONTROL. This means that the wildfire is completely contained and will be extinguished. 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. The wildfire will be monitored for activity and actioned if required.
EBZ001 is a mutual aid wildfire on the border of British Columbia and the Edson Forest Area, within Willmore Wilderness Park. It's currently burning 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. The wildfire is being monitored by firefighters and will be actioned if required.
No communities are threatened by these wildfires.
Learn more about wildfire classifications. View active wildfires, their locations and stats on the interactive map on our Wildfire Status page.
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.
ACTIVE WILDFIRES IN OTHER FOREST AREAS
There are currently two very active wildfires in the Rocky Mountain Forest Area. To learn more about these wildfires, visit the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area Update.
A fire restriction remains in effect for the entire EDSON FOREST AREA.
Cities, towns, villages and summer villages, as well as federal lands (such as national parks), are exempt from this restriction. 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.
Fire ban levels are based on multiple factors that include weather forecasts, fire danger, the risk of human-caused wildfires and available firefighting resources. The forest area is expecting increased temperatures in the coming days and our additional firefighters are supporting our northern communities and partner agencies.
PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE UPDATE
The fire danger is extreme through the agricultural zone and along the eastern slopes. Danger is high to very high throughout the boreal forest.
Since January 1, 2024 in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, there have been 1,010 wildfires burning a total of 562,102 hectares (ha).
Last year, on this date, there were 936 wildfires that burnt a total of 2,204,510 ha. In the past five years on this date, an average of 804 wildfires had burnt an average of 633,562 ha.
For the most up-to-date wildfire information, visit the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.
ACTIVE WILDFIRES IN JASPER NATIONAL PARK
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.
ANP002 is a mutual aid wildfire that is currently burning within Jasper National Park. The wildfire is outside of the Forest Protection Area. You can view the latest wildfire update on the Jasper National Park - Wildfire Status Updates.
Update as of August 2. The wildfire that is currently located north and south of Jasper, along Highway 16 and highway 93, has NOT entered into, or near Snaring River Campground. The campground is 25 km from the Alberta-Jasper boundary, 33 km from Brule, 48 km from highway 40 (north and south) and 50 km from Hinton. No communities in the Edson Forest Area (Yellowhead County) are threatened by these wildfires.
We can assure members of our communities that Alberta Wildfire is working closely with Parks Canada. 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 Municipality of Jasper. This will include information on the proximity of the wildfires.
Additional information will be available on the Jasper National Park Facebook page and Municipality of Jasper page. You can view smoke forecasts on the FireSmoke.ca website.
Check Alberta Emergency Alerts for up-to-date information on evacuation alerts and orders and Alberta 511 for road conditions and closures.
FIRESMART YOUR HOME AND PROPERTY
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.
Were you aware that 90% of home ignitions in Canada are caused by airborne embers, not the advancing flame front? That’s why it is so important to take steps that reduce the potential for embers to collect on or near your home.
It's never too late to participate. Learn how you can FireSmart your home and property! 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:
