Mackenzie County has issued an evacuation notice (alert) for Zama. For more info, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/N8v1mnqaSA55Qo1j/ or https://mackenziecounty.com/

PLEASE AVOID THE AREA AND DO NOT USE DRONES IN THE VICINITY OF ZAMA CITY. See details on this fire (HWF030), and fire suppression efforts, below under "Active Wildfires of Interest".

There is currently no fire advisory in the High Level Forest Area.

HWF030 is currently burning approximately 8.5 km SW of Zama City (June 23) — see details below 

 

HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA WILDFIRE SITUATION

Active Wildfires of Interest

HWF030 - Amber River Fire (near Zama)

Alberta Wildfire personnel, aircraft and equipment operators are continuing to respond to this wildfire, which is currently out of control (OC)*. The fire remains approximately 8.5 km southwest of Zama City and now covers at least 3,350 hectares (ha). The cause of this wildfire remains under investigation.

The evacuation notice (alert) for Zama, issued by MacKenzie County, remains in effect. For more information, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/N8v1mnqaSA55Qo1j/ or https://mackenziecounty.com/

There are currently 125 firefighting personnel on scene at this wildfire, along with six helicopters and heavy equipment operators that are actively engaged. Airtankers were used earlier in the day but are now engaged elsewhere (see HWF044 below); they remain on stand-by, if required, but the weather in the Zama area over the past hour has limited the use of air support. The incident management team, which coordinates frontline operations and supporting resources, remains established in the Zama area.

Crews and heavy equipment made good progress today. Work on the north flank guard to Shekelie Road is near completion, and the work of fire crews on the SE, east and NE flanks appears to be holding. Forty percent of the fire is now contained by dozer guard. 

Structural protection in key areas is installed and ready to go, should it be required.

Firefighters. air support and heavy equipment operators will continue to conduct day and night (24-7) operations in support of our ongoing efforts to contain and control this wildfire. Night-vision-equipped (NVIS) helicopters will continue to provide the high-tech capability to monitor fire behavior and support operational planning.  

The temperature in the Zama area overnight is expected to reach a low of 13 C, with relative humidity (RH) between 65-70 percent and winds from the N-NE at 15 km/h — gusting to 30 km/h.  Monday, the high is expected to reach 22 C, with an RH of 25-30 percent and winds from the north at 20-25 km/h — gusting up to 40 km/h. 

*OC - means the wildfire is burning and is expected to continue growing.

HWF044 (new, June 23)

Alberta Wildfire personnel are responding to this new wildfire, approximately 40 km NE of the Town of High Level (near Ponton), which was detected this afternoon. Based on the initial assessment, this fire is estimated to cover an area of about 30 ha and is considered out of control (OC)*. The cause of this fire is under investigation. 

Five air tankers are engaged, and 17 firefighters are in the area (transport via helicopter). Once the outcome of our initial air response is clear, Alberta Wildfire will determine appropriate follow-up actions.

General Situation

There are currently eight fires burning in the High Level Forest Area — two are out of control (HWF030 and HWF044 — see above) and six are classified as under control. Three of these wildfires are carry-over fires from the 2023 season. Additionally, there are two wildfires along borders: one shared with B.C. and one with the N.W.T. (HTZ001, see below).

Since January 1, 2024, there have been 43 wildfires in the High Level Forest Area, burning a total of 3,552 ha (these numbers do not include the two border fires noted above). 

Paskwa wildfire now extinguished

After extensive work over the winter and into the spring, including numerous infrared scans to identify hot spots — along with recent precipitation received — we are confident in changing the status of the Paskwa wildfire to extinguished (EX), effective June 10. This fire was referred to as HWF-030-2023 on the Alberta Wildfire app and webpage.

The Paskwa wildfire was a 2023 carry-over fire, which burned in the vicinity of several Little Red River Cree Nation communities, including Fox Lake, and caused significant damage to homes, infrastructure and the environment last year — impacting the lives of many in the area.

Our success in extinguishing the Paskwa wildfire is a result of a close working relationship and communication between Alberta Wildfire and the Little Red River Cree Nation. The support and cooperation of the nation chief and council, along with community members, have been very much appreciated.

Alberta Wildfire will continue to work closely with the Little Red River Cree Nation and its leaders — and surrounding communities within the High Level Forest Area and beyond — to enhance awareness and prevention efforts, thereby reducing the likelihood of significant wildfires, such as the Paskwa fire, impacting lives and livelihoods in the future. 

CLASSIFICATIONS | Learn more about wildfire classifications.

LOCATIONS | View this wildfire on our interactive map by following the active wildfire link.

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Alberta Wildfire (Forestry and Parks) monitors all under control fires to locate and extinguish hot spots that may be found. Some of the remaining firefighters (above) assigned to the Cameron Hills wildfire (HTZ001), adjacent to the NWT border, work to extinguish hot spots in mid-June.

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HTZ001 (Cameron Hills wildfire) is a mutual aid wildfire that originated in the border zone with the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) in 2023. The Alberta portion of this fire, south of the border, is now classified as BEING HELD, which means that the wildfire is not expected to grow past its current boundaries — based on the resources available and weather forecasts.  

On the Alberta side, this wildfire (HTZ001) is located near Indian Cabins, just south of the N.W.T. border.  This recent burn within the High Level Forest Area covers an estimated 30,526 hectares (ha). 

Given our success in managing this wildfire to date, the assigned Alberta Wildfire incident management team (IMT), which had been in place for about a month, has departed — leaving a reduced number of firefighters, support staff and aircraft on scene (along with some heavy equipment), as we continue to monitor this wildfire, extinguishing any hot spots found along the perimeters. 

The aim of protecting critical infrastructure along Highway 35, including utilities and Indian Cabins, remains, and we will continue to work closely with our industry partners and N.W.T. counterparts to contain and control this wildfire (HTZ001). 

Please see NWT Wildfire Update Map and the South Slave SS009-24 Update for more information on their activities and wildfire status in the N.W.T. area.

There remains the possibility of Highway 35 and surrounding roads being impacted. We urge all motorists to check Alberta 511 before travelling in the area — allowing extra time in case of road closures. For up-to-date information on highway closures, visit Alberta 511 or download the app. 

A firefighter (above) works to extinguish a hot spot at the Cameron Hills wildfire (HTZ001) in June.

 

CARRY OVER WILDFIRES | There are three carry-over wildfires from the 2023 wildfire season. These fires are classified as under control (UC). High-level infrared scanning is being conducted by aircraft to determine if there are any other active spots in the forest area. The wildfires remaining on the landscape are being monitored for fire activity, and resources are being deployed to extinguish hotspots as they are discovered.

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FireSmart is more than a collection of best-practices, programs, resources, and tools. FireSmart is a way of living with and managing the risk of wildfire. It is a shared responsibility between government, community leaders, neighbourhoods, and residents. Together, we can build a wildfire resilient Alberta. A FireSmart Alberta.

Your actions today can minimize wildfire damage to your home and property tomorrow. Flames aren’t the only threat. An estimated 90% of homes damaged or destroyed by wildfire are ignited by embers.  By taking proactive FireSmart measures around your house and yard, you can increase your properties’ resistance to wildfire.

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.

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WILDFIRE INFORMATION