Fort McMurray Forest Area Wildfire Update

The wildfire danger level is LOW for the entire Fort McMurray Forest Area.

A fire advisory is in effect for north of Lake Athabasca within the Fort McMurray Forest Area. See details below.

A fire restriction is in effect for south of Lake Athabasca within the Fort McMurray Forest Area. See details below.

On average, 67 per cent of wildfires are caused by humans. Everyone plays a role in preventing wildfires. Take the wildfire pledge to reduce wildfires and enter to win a helicopter tour!

Fire Advisory banner

A fire advisory is in place for the portion of the Fort McMurray Forest Area north of Lake Athabasca.

Under this advisory, no new fire permits will be issued until conditions improve. All existing permits remain valid. Renewals will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Allowed:

Safe wood campfires
Backyard fire pits
Portable propane fire pits
Gas or propane stoves and barbecues

Safe wood campfires on private land include private campgrounds and private recreation areas. Municipalities, parks, and protected areas may have additional fire safety requirements.

The fire advisory will remain in effect until conditions improve.

For more information on the fire advisory or restriction, please visit the Alberta Fire Bans website.

Fire Restriction banner

A fire restriction is in place for the portion of the Fort McMurray Forest Area south of Lake Athabasca, as of 4:00 PM on August 15, 2024.

Under this restriction, existing fire permits are restricted, suspended or cancelled and no new fire permits will be issued.

Prohibited:

Wood campfires on public land
Fireworks and exploding targets

Allowed:

Safe wood campfires in a designated campground, on private land and in backyard fire pits
Charcoal briquette barbeques
Propane/natural gas powered appliances
Open flame oil devices
Indoor wood fires

If you see a wildfire, report it immediately by calling 310-FIRE.

The fire restriction will remain in effect until conditions improve.

For more information on the fire advisory or restriction, please visit the Alberta Fire Bans website.

MCX002 - Cattail Complex

Wildfires MWF047, MWF077, and MWF079 are part of the Cattail Lake Complex. All three wildfires were caused by lightning and are classified as being held. Being held means that given current weather conditions and resources, the wildfire is not anticipated to grow past expected boundaries.

MWF047 is 110,962 ha in size and is located 53 km east of Fort McKay, 68 km northeast of Fort McMurray, and 6 km northeast of local industrial facilities.

MWF077 is 18,453 ha in size and 38 km northeast of Fort McMurray, 46 km from Fort McKay, and 6.5 km from local industrial facilities.

MWF079 is 7,948 ha in size and is located near the Saskatchewan border.

MCX003 - Algar Lake Complex

Wildfires MWF069, MWF086, and LWF165 make up the Algar Complex.

MWF069 is classified as under control and is located 10 km west of Highway 63 and 40 km southwest of Fort McMurray. It is 17,183 ha in size.

MWF086 is classified as being held and is located 37 km southwest of Fort McMurray. It is 2,251 ha in size.

MCX004 - Rabbit Lake Complex

Wildfires MWF060, MWF074, and MWF078 are part of this complex.

MWF060 is classified as out of control and is located about 25 km northeast of Chipewyan Lake. It is estimated to be 27,392 ha in size. This wildfire was caused by lightning.

MWF074 is classified as being held and is located northeast of MWF060. It is 297 ha in size and was caused by lightning.

MWF078 is classified as being held and is located about 25 km east of Chipewyan Lake. It is 3,000 ha in size.

FORT MCMURRAY FOREST AREA WILDFIRE UPDATE

There are currently 19 active wildfires in the Fort McMurray Forest Area. Currently, one is out of control, 12 are being held, and six are under control.

Since January 1, 2024, 96 wildfires have burned approximately 290,513 hectares (ha) in the Fort McMurray Forest Area.

MWF094 was discovered August 12 and is located approximately 24 km southwest of Fort McMurray. It is classified as being held and is estimated to be 0.5 ha in size. The cause of this wildfire is under investigation.

MWF045 was discovered on July 2 and is approximately 23 km south of the Wood Buffalo National Park border. It is classified as being held and is estimated to be 5,454 ha in size. This wildfire was caused by lightning.

MWF061 was discovered on July 7. It is approximately 110 km northeast of Fort McKay and 13 km from the Birch Mountain Wildland Provincial Park. It is classified as being held and is estimated to be 1514 ha in size. This wildfire was caused by lightning.

MWF063 was discovered on July 9 and is 60 km southwest of Camsell Portage (Saskatchewan) and 65 km northeast of Fort Chipewyan. It is classified as being held and is estimated to be 29,676 ha in size. This wildfire was caused by lightning.

MWF068 was discovered on July 10 and has crossed over into the High Level and Slave Lake forest area borders. It is classified as being held and is estimated to be 31,297 ha in size. This wildfire was caused by lightning.

MWF080 was discovered on July 14 and is located in the area between Gipsy Lake, Garson Lake and the Alberta/Saskatchewan border. It is classified as being held and is estimated to be 3,570 ha in size. This wildfire was caused by lightning.

MWF043 was discovered on July 3 and is approximately 22 km northwest of Bitumount. It is classified as under control at 427 ha in size. This wildfire was caused by lightning.

MWF056 was discovered on July 3 and is located approximately 41 km north of the Cattail Complex (MCX002). It is classified as under control at 2050 ha in size . This wildfire was caused by lightning.

MWF064 was discovered on July 9 and is located on Bustard Island, approximately 2 km northwest of the Bushland Island remote forest recreational reserve. The island is 23 km northeast of Fort Chipewyan. It is classified as under control at 884 ha in size. The cause of this wildfire is under investigation.

MWF081 was discovered on July 16. It is located on Burntwood Island, 39 km northeast of Fort Chipewyan. It is classified as under control and is estimated to be 779 ha in size. This wildfire was caused by lightning.

Screenshot 2024-08-18 093703

See the latest fire danger maps.

A WINNER HAS BEEN DRAWN!

Ofelia, a resident of Fort McMurray, is the winner of the helicopter tour!

She has been contacted and over the next few days, we will arrange a day and time for the helicopter ride with Ofelia and up to three additional people.

She was randomly selected from the 942 people who entered!

We want to thank everyone who took the pledge!

Report wildfires 2022

If you see smoke in the forest, always be sure to call 310-FIRE to report it.

You can now call right from the Alberta Wildfire app. Download for Apple or Android today!

The Alberta Wildfire Status App is a great way to stay informed on the go for any wildfires across the Fort McMurray Forest Area and the province.

Subscribe to specific forest areas and get notifications when there's a new update.

Download for Apple or Android today!

Alberta Fire Bans_V2 2022