High Level Area Update

High Level Forest Area Update - July 10, 2024 (4:00 p.m.)

Posted on Wed, Jul 10, 2024

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A FIRE BAN IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA.

Garden River is under an evacuation order as of 12:00 p.m. today July 10, 2024.

The forest area may experience heavy smoke at times over communities. Contact AB 811 for wildfire and smoke-related health concerns.

If you see smoke or flame in the forest and suspect it's a wildfire, call 310-FIRE (3473) immediately.


EVACUATION ALERTS AND ORDERS

Garden River is under an evacuation order as of 12:00 p.m. today, July 10, 2024. For further information related to evacuations, please visit Alberta Emergency Alert webpage or download the app.

You can also follow Little Red River Cree Nation’s Facebook page or their website

 

Fire Ban wide 

A fire ban is in effect as of 4 p.m. on July 10 in the entire Forest Protection Area of Alberta, including the High Level Forest Area, due to hot and dry conditions.

Cities, towns, villages and summer villages, as well as federal lands (such as national parks), are exempt from this ban. These jurisdictions have the authority to issue their own bans and may have complementary bans in place.

Visit Alberta Fire Bans to see if a fire ban or restriction is in place in your area.

Under this fire ban:

  • All fire permits are suspended or cancelled.
  • No new fire permits will be issued.
  • Some allowances can be made for essential agricultural and industrial burning, if approved by a forest officer.

Prohibited:

  • All outdoor wood fires, including wood campfires on public land, private land, designated campgrounds, and backyard firepits
  • Barbeque charcoal briquettes
  • Fireworks and exploding targets

Allowed:

  • Propane/ natural gas-powered appliances
  • Indoor wood fires inside a structure (such as a facility, building, tent or RV) and contained within a device with a chimney and spark arrestor
  • Open flame oil devices (such as deep fryers and tiki torches). All devices must be CSA approved and used per manufacturer’s standards.

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

The fire ban will remain in effect until conditions improve.

To learn more about the Alberta Fire Ban System, check out our video or visit Alberta Fire Bans. 

 


HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA | WILDFIRE SITUATION 

The wildfire danger in the High Level Forest Area is now EXTREME. This means that forest fuels are extremely dry and pose a very serious fire risk. Fast-spreading, high-intensity fires are likely, which are very difficult to control.

There are currently 34 wildfires burning in the High Level Forest Area. Of these, 10 are out of control, 13 are being held, and 11 are classified as under control. Two of these wildfires are carry-over fires from the 2023 season. There are also two wildfires along borders: one shared with B.C. and one with the N.W.T. 

Since January 1, 2024, there have been 113 wildfires in the High Level Forest Area, burning a total of 116,269 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 Today, we expect a high of 32C with 25 percent relative humidity (RH) and winds from the north-northeast 10-15 km/h, shifting to the southeast at 10-15 km/h. Wind gusts up to 30 km/h around noon; precipitation of 2-4 mm is forecast.

Crossover conditions are anticipated again today, as the temperature will be above the relative humidity. 

Tomorrow, we expect a high of 21C with 50 percent RH and winds from the southeast at 15 km/h, gusting to 35 km/h. Winds are expected to shift about 10 a.m., coming from the southwest at 20-25 km/h and gusting up to to 40 km/h. In the afternoon, wind gusts up to 50 km/h and 5-10 mm of rain is expected.

HWF100 is now BEING HELD and is now estimated to be 606 ha in size. The wildfire is located 21 km northeast of Rainbow Lake and 25 km west of Chateh. The cause of this wildfire remains under investigation.

There are 35 firefighters, five helicopters and 12 pieces of heavy equipment engaged on this wildfire today. It does not pose a threat to any community at this time. 

Firefighters continue to search for and extinguish hot spots. Heli-bucketing is ongoing and dozers continue their work on the guard in perimeter areas.

HWF102, which is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL, is estimated to be 2,924 ha in size. The wildfire is located 34 km southeast of Tall Cree South and 38 km east of Wadlin Lake, and its cause was determined to have been caused by lightning.


HCX001 - SEMO WILDFIRE COMPLEX | HWF053, HWF061, HWF081, HWF083

(Semo update as of 12 p.m.) 

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.

Garden River is under an evacuation order as of 12:00 p.m. today July 10, 2024.

 

Firefighters receive an early-morning safety briefing at the Semo Wildfire Complex (July 10, 2024).

 

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Expand (click) to view the full public map of the Semo wildfire complex.

 

INFORMATION STATIONS

  *Due to current smoke conditions, the previously scheduled events in Fox Lake and Garden River have been postponed.

Today, the weather forecast is calling for temperatures of 31C with a relative humidity of 25% and winds out of the east-northeast at 10-15 km/h, gusting 25 km/h with southeast winds at 5-10 km/h after midnight. There is a heat warning as well as an extreme fire behaviour risk for today. This means that high intensity and very fast-moving spread will be expected with certain conditions. It will be a challenging day for firefighters and equipment on the line.

HWF053 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL and is estimated to be 547 ha in size. The wildfire remains under investigation.

HWF061 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL 21 km northeast of Jon D'or, 17 km north of Fox Lake and 30 km northwest of Garden River. The closest part of the wildfire is approximately 8 km to highway 58. We’re now measuring from the northeast corner of the community boundary line to the closest fire perimeter so you will see adjustments moving forward. Keep in mind that even though the fire is over 30 km away from Garden River the fire is 12 km from highway 58 and that will impact egress for the community of Garden River. The measurement from the fire perimeter to the closest point on highway 58 is what is most important for the area of Garden River.

The wildfire is growing with the significant heat wave over the last few days. Rising temperatures will play a large factor in wildfire spread. The wildfire is now estimated to be 39,955 ha in size and caused by lightning. Heavy equipment operators continue both day and night to the south perimeter of the fire to gain better access. Heavy equipment is working on the east side to build a safe zone for crews while operators on the west side are building extra dozer guard lines. Additional dozer guards are created for firefighters and equipment for safety.

Helicopters will continue to bucket along priority areas when the smoke allows them too. Night vision helicopters will be utilized overnight and worked on the east side. There was some spread throughout the whole fire but spread is mostly on the north and south perimeter overnight. Crews are travelling by equipment this morning to access the south perimeter to start building containment lines if they can do so safely. A weather inversion is keeping smoke low on the fire and it’s making it difficult for access.

There can be larger smoke columns visible from communities. These smoke columns are likely to happen more frequently today and in the coming days and are expected as hot, dry, windy conditions persist.

HWF081 is OUT OF CONTROL at 32,993 ha. When firefighters are safe to do so, they will work the northwest edge of the perimeter to secure containment lines. This fire is challenging due to the high intensity of the fire, but crews are determined to gain ground, it will just take some time. Firefighters are being supported by helicopters that will bucket on priority areas.

HWF083 is OUT OF CONTROL at 26,568 ha continues to grow under dry conditions. Firefighters will continue to monitor this wildfire and provide support when needed. 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 35-40 km north of John D'Or Prairie.

There are 119 firefighters and support staff, eight helicopters and 18 pieces of heavy equipment assigned to the Semo Complex. Additional resources are on the way to support firefighting activities.


HCX002 - AMBER RIVER COMPLEX | HWF030, HWF072, HWF075, HWF076, HWF089, HWF101

An incident management team is in command of the personnel and resources assigned to the Amber River Complex and its six wildfires. There are currently 102 firefighters, nine helicopters and eight pieces of heavy equipment engaged on the wildfires within the Amber Complex. The wildfires in this complex do not currently threaten any communities.

HWF072 is burning OUT OF CONTROL and is now estimated to cover an area 3,700 ha in size after moderate growth overnight. This wildfire, which is approximately 78 km northwest of Chateh and about 60 km west of Zama City, does not currently pose a threat to any communities. The investigation found this wildfire to have been caused by lightning.

Airtankers are being used, when available, when conditions permit and as opportunities arise. Heavy equipment, which has been delayed by the difficulty in reaching this wildfire on the ground, is expected to arrive on scene by Friday. Once there, heavy equipment operators will support aerial fire suppression activities, and those of firefighters on the ground.  

Aircraft engagement for reconnaissance and bucketing operations has been limited, however, due to smoke and visibility issues, which has also led to reduced on-the-ground firefighter activity at times.


HWF047 (Melvin River), which is approximately 40 km north-northeast of the town of High Level and 25 km east of Highway 35, is now BEING HELD. The wildfire is now estimated to cover 1,410 ha after a relatively small amount of growth overnight. The wildfire does not currently pose a threat to any communities and its cause remains under investigation.

To view these and other wildfires in the province, view our interactive map by following the active wildfire link. 


HTZ001 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.

Increased wildfire activity was observed today, northeast of Bistcho Lake, with some growth to the south and east.  

Firefighters are using natural breaks and airtankers to build containment line in hopes to reduce the spread towards the east. 

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 10)

The fire danger is high to very high in the central boreal region and extreme throughout the rest of the province.

Since January 1, 2024 in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, there have been 647 wildfires burning a total of 177,157 hectares (ha).

Last year, on this date, there were 833 wildfires that burnt a total of 2,153,847 ha. In the past five years on this date, an average of 658 wildfires had burnt an average of 223,768 ha. 


 
WILDFIRE SAFETY MESSAGES

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.caIf 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

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 FacebookTwitter 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.

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For more information, please contact:  
 
AREA INFORMATION COORDINATORS
SUPPORTING THE HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA
 
 Caroline Button High Qua
 
HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA WILDFIRE INFORMATION OFFICER
Caroline Charbonneau, RPFT
Alberta Forestry & Parks | AB Wildfire
Wildfire information officer for the Edson Forest Area
Cell:  780-740-1341
 
selfie hubspot
 SEMO WILDFIRE COMPLEX INFORMATION OFFICER
Colby Lachance
Alberta Forestry & Parks | AB Wildfire
Wildfire information coordinator for the Whitecourt Forest Area
 
 
Mark Canva
 
HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA WILDFIRE INFORMATION OFFICER
Mark Giles, APR
Alberta Forestry & Parks | AB Wildfire
Wildfire information officer for the High Level Forest Area
 
 
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