A FIRE RESTRICTION IS IN EFFECT FOR THE HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA.
Smoke has settled over the town of High Level from the fire activity within the forest area. For any health concerns related to the smoke, please visit Alberta Health Services or you can phone 811 for more information.
To view smoke drifts within the area, you can visit firesmoke.ca.
The Forest Area is currently responding to multiple wildfires, the majority of them are caused by lightning from recent thunderstorms.
If you see smoke or flame in the forest and suspect it's a wildfire, call 310-FIRE (3473) to report it.
A fire restriction is in place for the High Level and Fort McMurray Forest Areas.
Under this restriction:
- Existing fire permits are restricted, suspended or cancelled and no new fire permits will be issued.
- Safe wood campfires within fire rings in campgrounds are allowed.
Prohibited on public lands, including backcountry and random camping areas:
- All outdoor wood fires.
- Fires fueled exclusively by charcoal briquettes.
- The use of fireworks and exploding targets.
Allowed in designated campgrounds on private and public land, designated day use areas and on privately owned land:
- Safe wood campfires.
- Backyard fire pits, charcoal briquette barbeques.
- Propane/ natural gas-powered appliances CSA approved or UL certified.
The fire restriction will remain in effect until conditions improve.
HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA | WILDFIRE SITUATION
The wildfire danger in the High Level Forest Area remains VERY HIGH. This means that high-intensity fire is expected and likely to spread to treetops. Wildfire behavior will challenge suppression efforts today.
There are currently 35 wildfires burning in the High Level Forest Area. Of these, 12 are out of control, 14 are being held, and nine are classified as under control. Two 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.
Since January 1, 2024, there have been 102 wildfires in the High Level Forest Area, burning a total of 17,741 hectares (ha).
You can view the location and statistics of these wildfires on our interactive map by following the active wildfire link. Visit our website to learn more about wildfire classifications.
HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA | ACTIVE WILDFIRES OF INTEREST
WEATHER FORECAST | Tomorrow, a max of 27C and 30% relative humidity is expected. Winds from the north-northwest 15 km/h. Very little precipitation is expected in the coming days along with hot temperatures and low relative humidity.
HWF044 is currently BEING HELD. The wildfire is located approximately 48 km northeast of the town of High Level and estimated to be 275 ha. The wildfire does not pose a threat to any communities at this time. The cause is under investigation. There are 48 firefighters and four helicopters associated to this wildfire. Firefighters assisted by helicopters continue to build containment lines on the north side of the wildfire.
HWF047 (Melvin River) is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL approximately 40 km north-northeast of the town of High Level and 25 km east of Highway 35. The wildfire is now estimated to be 1,375 ha in size. The wildfire does not currently pose a threat to any communities and its cause is under investigation.
There are 145 firefighters and support staff, along with 14 helicopters, associated to this wildfire. An incident management team remains in command of personnel and resources for this wildfire.
Firefighters continued their work along the east and west sides today, building containment lines on these perimeters. Crews are also working on the north side towards the northern tip of the fire. Helicopters continued to use bucketing operations to control flare-ups, especially on the east side of the wildfire, and will continue into the weekend. Firefighters and helicopters are continuing to make progress; however, anticipated weekend weather may present challenges.
Overnight, relative humidity (RH) is expected between 40-60%, which should limit fire growth overnight and into the morning. However, crossover conditions, which are temperatures that are higher than RH, along with high winds gusting up to 30km/h are expected over the weekend. These conditions are conducive to intense wildfire behaviour.
Work continues building containment lines around HWF099 (July 5, 2024).
HWF065 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL and estimated to be 1820 ha in size. The wildfire is located 50 km northwest from Zama City. This wildfire was determined to be caused by lightning. The wildfire is showing moderate fire behaviour and currently being assessed.
HWF099 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL and estimated to be 15 ha in size. The wildfire is located 18 km west of Footner Lake and 23 km northwest of High Level. There are 12 firefighters and two helicopters actioning this wildfire. Airtankers were active on the fire today and used retardant to reinforce containment lines.
HWF100 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL and estimated to be 300 ha in size. The wildfire is located 28 km west of Assumption, 21 km northeast of Rainbow Lake and 25 km west of Chateh. There are 24 firefighters and three helicopters actioning the wildfire today. Airtankers will be requested when they can be used effectively.
HWF102 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL and estimated to be 879 ha in size. The wildfire is located 34 km southeast of Tall Cree South and 38 km east of Wadlin Lake. There is aircraft assessing this wildfire.
Activity on the west perimeter of HWF061 (July 5, 2024).
SEMO WILDFIRE COMPLEX | HWF053, HWF061, HWF081, HWF082, HWF083
The Semo Wildfire Complex is located north of John D'Or Prairie, Garden River and Fox Lake. It includes the Caribou Mountains P.P, between the Ponton and the Wentzel River. This wildfire is currently being overseen by an incident management team. Additional resources have been requested and will be arriving in the coming days.
Tomorrow, the weather forecast is calling for temperatures of 22C with a relative humidity of 35% with winds out of the northwest at 15 km/h with gusts reaching a potential 30 km/h, shifting to west.
HWF053 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL approximately 50 km northeast of John D'or Prairie, 36 km northwest of Garden River and 40 north of Fox Lake. It's estimated to be 525 ha in size. There is no threat to any communities at this time; the wildfire remains under investigation.
HWF061 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL 40 km northeast of Jon D'or, 32 km north of Fox Lake and 39 km northwest of Garden River. At this time the fire does not pose a threat to any community. The wildfire is now estimated to be 6,747 ha in size and caused by lightning. This wildfire is actively spreading east towards HWF053.
Heavy equipment operators were busy expanding the safety zones south of the fire. Tomorrow, equipment operators are going to travel towards the southwest side of the fire to gain better access. Helicopters will continue to bucket along the north side of the fire as they work to secure the west side and down towards the south. Firefighters will begin actioning the fire when safe zones are completed and are ready to access. Airtankers were used on the south-southwest perimeter to prevent further spread.
HWF081 is OUT OF CONTROL at 400 ha. There are safe access points for crews to action this wildfire and they will start work on the south and west perimeter. The fire is actively spreading east due to westerly winds. HWF082 is UNDER CONTROL at 1 ha. HWF083 is OUT OF CONTROL at 360 ha. All of these wildfires are within the Caribou Mountain Wildland P.P. and have been determined to be caused by lightning. These wildfires are located approximately 60 km north of John D'Or Prairie.
There are 62 firefighters and support staff, 12 helicopters and six pieces of heavy equipment assigned to the Semo Complex. Additional resources are on the way to support firefighting activities.
To view these and other wildfires in the province, view our interactive map by following the active wildfire link.
HWF030 (Amber River - Near Zama) is currently UNDER CONTROL. The wildfire is located approximately 8.5 km southwest of Zama City and estimated to be 3,200 hectares (ha). The wildfire remains under investigation.
There are 77 firefighters and support staff working on this wildfire, along with seven helicopters and eight pieces of heavy equipment. Airtankers remain available, if required. Firefighters, aircraft and heavy equipment are searching for and extinguishing hotspots.
Firefighters will continue to use night-vision equipped (NVIS) helicopters overnight when available. They have the capacity to use infrared technology to monitor fire behavior and support operational planning with their assessments.
HTZ001 (Cameron Hills) 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.
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 30,520 hectares ha. 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.
This wildfire may cause highway closures, visit Alberta 511 or download the app for up-to-date information.
PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE SITUATION (as of 10 a.m., July 5)
The fire danger is mainly very high for the northern parts of the province with pockets of extreme. It is low in the Rockies and mainly low to moderate in the agricultural zone.
Since January 1, 2024 in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, there have been 610 wildfires burning a total of 57,959 ha.
Last year, on this date, there were 806 wildfires that burnt a total of 2,111,705 ha. In the past five years on this date, an average of 627 wildfires had burnt an average of 594,108 ha.
DANGEROUS TREES | Be extra cautious near burnt areas and avoid forested areas that have been recently affected by wildfire. Hazards remain from deep ash pits, burning peat and falling trees or branches, especially if windy.
SMOKE | Lingering smoke may still be visible in some areas and in affected communities. Smoke inversions can trap air near the ground causing dangerous driving conditions and poor air quality. Please use extra caution when driving in smoky conditions. To see forecasted smoke, please visit FireSmoke.ca. If you have smoke related health concerns, please visit or contact Alberta 811.
ALBERTA HEALTH WILDFIRE RESOURCES | You can visit Alberta Health Services for information on how you or your loved ones can access resources related to wildfire impacts and smoke concerns.
DRONES | 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 firefighters the space they need to do their jobs safely. *Transport Canada.
FIRE PERMITS REQUIRED
All burning within the Forest Protection Area of Alberta requires a burn permit, with the exception of a campfire. At this time, the High Level Forest Area is issuing burn permits on a case-by-case basis.
High Level Forest Area | Permit Line: 780-926-5407. Stay informed of fire restrictions and fire bans in your area by checking Alberta Firebans.
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.
Vegetation management, broadly speaking, is the modification of wildland fuels (vegetation that can contribute to wildfire is known simply as ‘fuel’) for the purpose of mitigating the potential intensities and impact of wildfire. Intuitively vegetation management as a strategy for reducing wildfire hazard makes a lot of sense: wildfire requires fuel, in the form of vegetation, to burn; if we can change the fuel, we can change the wildfires behaviour. For suggestions on landscaping tips, you can view the FireSmart Guide to Landscaping.
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.
WILDFIRE INFORMATION
- Download the Alberta Wildfire app today and get access to accurate, real-time information on wildfires in your area. You can also find information on fire advisories, restrictions and bans across the province and much more all on your mobile device. Available for Apple and Android.
- Before heading out, check the fire bans website or download the app to determine if there are any fire advisories, fire restrictions or fire bans in effect for your destination.
- Subscribe to the High Level Forest Area Update to receive an email when new information is posted. Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
- Missed an issue of the High Level Forest area Wildfire Update? You can find previous updates on our website.
- For evacuation orders and alerts in the Province visit Alberta Emergency Alerts or your community webpage for more information.
- For road closure information, visit Alberta 511 or download the app.
- For smoke forecasts and locations tools, visit the Fire Smoke website.
- To see all the wildfires burning in Alberta click here.
- Learn how you can prepare yourself for a wildfire with some tips and tricks on wildfire preparedness.
