Fort McMurray Area Update

Fort McMurray Forest Area Wildfire Update - June 17, 2022

Posted on Fri, Jun 17, 2022

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The fire danger in the Fort McMurray Forest Area is overall MODERATE, with the exception of the area surrounding Fort McMurray where the fire danger is LOW and north of Lake Athabasca where the fire danger is EXTREME. Please use caution if you are spending time in forested areas. If you see smoke or fire in the forest call 310-FIRE (3473).


2022 MWF15 June 17 1300ha CropMWF015 is located 24 km southeast of Fort Fitzgerald and classified as being held.

FORT MCMURRAY WILDFIRE UPDATE

Since January 1, 2022, there have been 26 wildfires in the Fort McMurray Forest Area burning a total of 4,638 ha.

MWF015 was detected on June 12 and is located 24 km southeast of Fort Fitzgerald, 49 km southeast of Fort Smith and 115 km north of Fort Chipewyan. It is currently estimated to be 800 ha in size and classified as being held.

MWF018 was detected on June 13 and is located 28 km south southeast of Fort Fitzgerald, 50 km southeast of Fort Smith and 90 km north of Fort Chipewyan. It is currently estimated to be 2,000 ha in size and classified as being held.

MWF022 was detected on June 13 and is located 65 km southeast of Fort Fitzgerald and 62 km north northeast of Fort Chipewyan. It is currently estimated to be 1,800 ha in size and classified as being held.

Since these wildfires are located in remote areas where they do not threaten communities or resources, we allow the wildfires to play out their natural role onto the landscape under the watchful eye of experienced fire managers. Using this wildfire management strategy has many benefits. It re-introduces fire onto the landscape, creates a break in the continuous fuels, reduces the intensity of the fire, provides safety zones for our firefighting crews to work from and reduces the cost of fighting these wildfires.

We encourage those with homes and other structures to FireSmart their properties to limit the impacts of a potential wildfire. To learn more on how you can protect your home and structures from wildfire, visit firesmartcanada.ca or click here to watch a video.

Aerial ignition is currently being planned for MWF015 & MWF018 to begin tomorrow with the intention to tie in existing fuel breaks to help slow the growth of these wildfires.

All of the above mentioned wildfires were caused by lightning. To learn more about the classification of wildfires, please click here.

To view the wildfires on a map, check out the new wildfire dashboard. It provides up-to-date wildfire information at the click of a button. This interactive tool displays important statistics on the number of active wildfires in the province, sizes, locations, suspected causes and more.

PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE UPDATE

Since January 1, 2022 in the Forest Protection Area, there have been 450 wildfires burning a total of 17,521 ha.


CAMPFIRE SAFETY

We urge everyone to use caution when working and recreating outdoors. Never leave your campfire unattended.

  • Never leave your campfire unattended! Always ensure it is properly extinguished when you are done with it. Soak it with water, stir it and soak it again until the ashes are cool to the touch.
  • Let the fire burn down before you plan on putting it out. Spread the embers within the fire pit, then add water or loose dirt, and stir.

  • Expose any material still burning. Add more water and stir again until you can no longer see smoke or steam. Do not bury your fire as the embers may continue to smolder and can re-emerge as a wildfire.

  • Repeat until your campfire is cool to the touch.

  • If your fire is out, you should not be able to feel any heat from the ashes.

  • Follow these guidelines to build a safe campfire: wildfire.alberta.ca/prevention/campfire-safety  

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OHV SAFETY

Use caution when riding your off-highway vehicle in forested areas.

  • Exhaust systems heat up to temperatures in excess of 204 degrees Celsius; hot enough to fry an egg and start a wildfire.
  • At these temperatures, built up materials and debris on your machine (such as grass, muskeg, moss, or other debris) can heat up, smoulder and ignite.
  • The smouldering debris can drop to the ground as you’re riding, starting a wildfire.

Before you ride, clean any debris that has built up near the exhaust and muffler, under the seat, in wheel wells and around the engine. During your ride, stop regularly to clean your hotspots. Dry grass and vegetation that accumulate near the exhaust, ignite and cause a wildfire when it falls to the ground. Always carry a small fire extinguisher, a collapsible shovel and water. These tools can help extinguish a wildfire and safely dispose of hot debris.


REQUEST A FIRE PERMIT

Wildfire season in Alberta is from March 1 until October 31. During wildfire season, you are required to have a fire permit if you plan on burning in the Forest Protection Area, with the exception of a campfire.

To request a free fire permit online, visit the new portal. You will need a MyAlberta Digital ID to access the portal. Please note that you can still request your permit from the Fort McMurray forest office by calling 780-743-7125.

For more information regarding fire permits, you can view our video by clicking here.


Wildfire Dashboard

NEW WILDFIRE DASHBOARD

The new wildfire dashboard provides up-to-date wildfire information at the click of a button. This interactive tool displays important statistics on the number of active wildfires in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, sizes, locations, suspected causes and more.

The dashboard builds on the former wildfire status map by displaying the most frequently accessed information in one convenient location.


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FIRESMART

This is a great time to apply FireSmart principles to your property. Protecting your home from wildfire starts with simple actions. Whether you are doing regular yard maintenance or making large scale changes during renovations or landscaping, you can make choices that will help protect your home from wildfire.


For more information, please contact: 

Caroline Charbonneau
Wildfire Information Officer | Edson Forest Area
Acting Wildfire Information Office | Fort McMurray Forest Area
Cell: 780-740-1341
caroline.charbonneau@gov.ab.ca 
 

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