DO NOT FLY DRONES NEAR WILDFIRES!
The use of recreational drones over wildfires in Alberta is dangerous, illegal and could result in a fine of up to $15,000* for putting aircraft and people at risk. Please give Alberta firefighters the space they need to do their jobs safely.
*Transport Canada
A FIRE BAN and OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE RESTRICTION is now effect for the entire Forest Protection Area of Alberta, including the Edson Forest Area.
NOTICE FOR EVACUEES AND RESIDENTS OF HINTON AND SURROUNDING AREA
The wildfires in the Edson Forest area are very large and are producing heavy amounts of smoke. EWF-031 is 70km away and is not moving towards Hinton and is not a threat to the town of Hinton at this time. The three large wildfires to the south of EWF-031 in the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area are over 80 km away from the community of Hinton. Smoke will impact the town of Hinton. Visit firesmoke.ca to see where the smoke is coming from and if you have smoke related health concerns, please contact 8-1-1.
The NASA FIRMS Fire Information website is a great resource to give an idea of the location of wildfires in the area, but it should be noted that this data is based on interpolation and often can make a wildfire appear larger than it actually is.
ACTIVE WILDFIRES
EWF031 was detected on May 4 and is located 25 km west of Lodgepole, 20 km northwest of Brazeau Dam and 14 km southeast of Edson. The fire is classified as out of control and was last estimated to be 77,920 ha in size. It is believed that the fire has not reached the McLeod River. Most of the growth on this fire yesterday was on the northwest finger of the fire. The guard on the east flank of the fire has seen success at preventing spread on that side of the fire. Hand ignition with bucketing support was performed on the north side of the fire yesterday.
The forecast is favorable for the next few days, with trace amounts of rain and overcast conditions in the area, which should assist with firefighting efforts. That said, not all areas will receive rain, and while every little bit helps, the long term forecast is predicting a return to hot and dry conditions within a few days, and the high/extreme fire danger is anticipated to resume. Because these wildfires have been so extremely hot and will have burned deep into the ground, these fires can re-ignite again even after several days of light rain, especially once these hot, dry and windy conditions return.
Hand ignition on the north end of the fire on EWF031 (May 6, 2023 at 2:15 p.m.)
This fire still poses a significant threat to the town of Edson, and we strongly believe Hinton and the areas west of Hinton are the safest locations for residents that have been evacuated within Yellowhead County. The Wildfire Management Team has also been relocated and has been established in the town of Hinton.
Most of these wildfires are due to the recent dry lightning that was seen over the past several days. This time of year, the trees are extremely dry as they have yet to absorb the moisture that they need. These are not normal conditions which is why we are witnessing an abnormal amount of fires igniting and spreading. The current hot and dry conditions are also contributing as we have been seeing crossover conditions over several consecutive days. This means that the humidity is lower than the temperature, making vegetation severely flammable which results in extreme fire behaviour.
Smoke on EWF031 (May 6, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.)
DEEP CREEK COMPLEX – includes EWF-035, WCU001 and WCU002
While there are some areas that could have experienced some precipitation other areas may not. The wildfires in the area are extremely hot and will burn deep into the ground. These fires can re-ignite again if conditions are right. Mid-high temperatures and windy conditions will ignite fires that may look extinguished as they hide deep in the ground. There is still a risk to the communities affected by the Deep Creek Complex.
High levels of humidity will make it easier for crews and heavy equipment to build containment lines for communities that are still at risk. Forecasted weather may help with fire suppression efforts on the fireline but crews will need to be prepared for a change of higher temperatures into early next week and the increase in fire behaviour that it will bring.
WCU001 was detected on April 29 and is classified as out of control. The wildfire has been reassessed and is now 8586 ha in size. The wildfire did cross west over the Pembina River yesterday and spread north where it did cross highway 16. The wildfire continued to spread parallel with highway 16 as it moved further west where the wildfire spread just north of Wildwood and towards Chip Lake. AB Wildfire is assisting Parkland County with this wildfire.
59 firefighters worked alongside 14 pieces of heavy equipment. Additionally, nine helicopters performed bucketing operations on the wildfire near the community of Wildwood. Containment lines are being made with dozers for the north perimeter of Lobstick. Crews are working to establish more containment lines in the area with the use of heavy equipment.
For updates from Parkland County and evacuation information, please visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ParklandCountyAB. Residents in the affected areas can contact the Emergency Information Line at 1-780-968-8888.
May 6 at 9:30 p.m.
Parkland County will be assessing fire affected structures and will have more information regarding any damage or losses in the coming days. Parkland County residents that are evacuated are still asked to register at Jubilee Hall or by phone. We understand that this is a stressful time for our evacuated community members; we are here to help if you are struggling. Please contact the reception centre with any concerns regarding lodging, food, transportation, or any other urgent needs by one of the following methods:
In-Person – Jubilee Hall reopens Sunday, May 6 at 7:30 a.m. You can phone 780-203-3258 (24hrs) for any evacuation information. To register online visit EmergencyRegistration.alberta.ca.
May 6, 2:00pm. The Evacuation Area remains in effect for everyone west of Range Road 65, north of Township Road 530 to Township Road 534, including all residents of Entwistle. Please continue to stay safe and remain evacuated. Residents can register by visiting Wabamun Jubilee Hall (5132 53 Ave, Wabamun) or by calling 780-203-3258. Coal Diamond Sports Park in Wabamun is also open for evacuees staying in trailers, RVs, etc.
For updates from Yellowhead County and evacuation information, please visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/yellowheadcounty Residents in the affected areas can contact the Yellowhead County Emergency Information Line at 1-833-334-4630.
WCU002 was detected on the evening of April 29 and is a mutual aid wildfire located on both sides of Highway 22, north of Highway 16. The wildfire is currently burning out of control. The wildfire is estimated to be 2,400 ha in size. The fire is burning in a mixture of grass, shrub, trees and marsh. Both Yellowhead County and Alberta Wildfire are actioning this wildfire.
No growth has been reported today at this time. Resources are allocated to this fire. The wildfire has stayed south of Township Road 550 and east of Range Road 92 and west of Range Road 75.
EWF035 was detected on May 5 and is located 3 km southeast of Shinning Bank. This wildfire is classified as out of control and estimated to be 5,072 ha in size. This wildfire has crossed highway 32 and is being continually assessed by Alberta Wildfire.
Low temperatures will continue into the evening and into tomorrow. Scattered light rain showers will continue throughout the Edson Forest Area. Please report any new wildfire starts to 310-FIRE.
Wildfire smoke is a tool used for the location of smoke firesmoke.ca.
NASA Hotspots is a tool used to view hotspots on a map across Alberta.
We encourage anyone who suspects a wildfire that is not indicated on our app to report it to 310-FIRE.
If you have any questions or concerns about the Deep Creek Complex (EWF-035, WCU001 and WCU002) please call the Wildfire Information Officer at 780-653-0153 and press 2 for information.
For all other wildfires in the Edson Forest Area please call the Area Information Coordinator at 780-237-4483.
For all other wildfires, please report by calling 310-FIRE.
EWF037, EWF040 and EWF041. There are multiple clusters of wildfires that we believe were caused by lightning and at this time located approximately south of the Little Smoky River, north of the Wildhay River and east of Hwy 40 north, and also in the areas near the Willow Haul road and the Jack Wright road north of Hinton. All of these wildfires are classified as out of control and remain under investigation.
EWF039 is currently burning out of control, estimated to be 216 ha in size and located near Carrot Creek. Structure protection is being put into place on critical infrastructure.
The above wildfires remain under investigation. To learn more about wildfire classifications, click here.
For more information, visit our website and click on the interactive map to view active wildfires and their stats on the wildfire dashboard.
PUBLIC WILDFIRE MAPS
Edson Forest Area Overview Map - May 6, 2023 public map - Click here.
Deep Creek Fire (WCU002 and WCU001) May 6th, 2023 public map - Click here.
EWF031 Wildfire May 6, 2023 public map - Click here.
Note: The wildfire perimeter map is an estimate based on measurements such as GPS, aerial scanning and satellite imagery. This estimated perimeter can change as more accurate measurements become available. Areas within the fire perimeter may not have been affected by wildfire.
Click on the map for the PDF version.
Crews will be working on wildfire Deep Creek Fire (WCU002), searching for and extinguishing hotspots. (May 5, 2023)
COMMUNITY EMERGENCY INFORMATION
EVACUATION ORDER
The following Alberta Emergency Alert has been issued by Yellowhead County:
County has also issued an evacuation order for north and west areas of Wildwood from Township Road 544 north to Township Road 560, west to Range Road 110 and east to Highway 22.
Brazeau Dam area, west of the Brazeau River. The evacuation area is bounded by Elk River Road on the north, the Brazeau Reservoir on the east, and Range Road 145 on the west.
Please visit the Yellowhead County Facebook page or www.yhcounty.ca for updates. Evacuees can call 1-833-334-4630 for more information. Gather important documents, medication, and enough food and water to be away from home for at least 3 days. Take pets with you.
Special Access Permits for Calving, Foaling, & Lambing in Evacuated Zone North of Wildwood. Any agricultural operations and farms can request special access conditions for calving, foaling, and lambing provided it is considered safe for your area. Please contact 1-833-334-4630 for details. Residents that need to check livestock or retrieve pets can also request access between 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Please contact 1-833-334-4630 for details.
For road closure information, please visit: https://511.alberta.ca/#:Alerts
For residents with health concerns related to smoke you can find the air quality map here: https://www.alberta.ca/about-the-air-quality-health-index.aspx
If you have smoke related health concerns, please contact AB 811 click here for more information.
- All existing Fire Permits are suspended (or cancelled)
- No new Fire Permits will be issued
- All outdoor wood fires are banned, including wood campfires on public lands, wood campfires on private land and provincial campgrounds
- Backyard firepits
- BBQ charcoal briquettes
- The use of fireworks and exploding targets
- The recreational use of off-highway vehicles (OHV) on public lands, including designated OHV trails
- Propane/natural gas-powered appliances
- Open flame oil devices (e.g., turkey deep fryers, tiki torches)
- Indoor wood fires contained within a device with a chimney and spark arrestor
- All appliances must be CSA approved and used per manufacturer’s standards
- Indigenous people when using an OHV for traditional purposes. Traditional purposes are hunting, fishing, and trapping – including the use of an OHV to travel to the location(s) for these purposes.
- Essential industry-related activities requiring the use of OHVs.
- Off-highway vehicle use is still permitted on private lands.
Stay tuned to www.albertafirebans.ca throughout the wildfire season for more information about fire bans and restrictions in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta.
WE URGE RESIDENTS AND RECREATIONALISTS TO USE EXTRA CAUTION
Due to the current dry grass, warm weather and possible windy conditions, there is an increased risk of wildfires in the Edson Forest Area. We urge residents and visitors to exercise caution and take the following precautions:
- Do not start any fires or use open flames in areas that are susceptible to catching fire, such as near dry vegetation like grass or wooded areas.
- Dispose of cigarettes and other smoking materials properly, do not throw them on the ground.
- If you see a wildfire, immediately call 310-FIRE (3473) and report the location of the fire.
- Avoid using equipment that could generate sparks, friction or flames, such as power tools or lawn mowers, in areas with dry vegetation.
- Ensure grinders and welders are properly maintained and used in areas that are free from dry vegetation. Have sufficient water and tools on hand. Always keep watch of your surroundings and look around at regular intervals for smoke or flames that may have been accidently ignited.
We encourage everyone to stay informed about the current wildfire risk and to follow any guidance or orders from emergency personnel. By working together and taking proactive steps, we can help reduce the risk of wildfires in our community.
WILDFIRE PREVENTION TIPS
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.
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: