A FIRE BAN IS IN EFFECT FOR THE HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA.
Garden River remains under an evacuation order, as of July 10, 2024.
The forest area may experience heavy smoke over communities at times. Contact 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.
This update is best viewed on a web browser or the AB Wildfire Status App | View previous High Level Forest Area Updates. Bold indicates new or important information.
A fire ban is in effect as of 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.
HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA | WILDFIRE SITUATION
The wildfire danger in the High Level Forest Area is EXTREME. This means that forest fuels are extremely dry and pose a serious fire risk. Fast-spreading, high-intensity fires are likely, which are very difficult to control.
There are currently 35 wildfires burning in the High Level Forest Area. Of these, 8 are out of control, 13 are being held, and 14 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 131 wildfires in the High Level Forest Area, burning a total of 138,924 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 relative humidity (RH) of 25 percent and winds from the west at 15 km/h. Little-to-no precipitation is forecast.
HCX001 - SEMO WILDFIRE COMPLEX | HWF053, HWF061, HWF081, 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 are expected in the coming days.
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Firefighters from Alberta and Ontario are briefed this morning in the vicinity of the Semo Wildfire Complex on the east side of the High level Forest Area (July 16, 2024). Daily briefings are essential to providing firefighters with the operational and safety information they need to do their work safely and effectively.
Today, the weather forecast is calling for temperatures of 29C with a relative humidity of 30% with winds out of the south-southwest at 15-20 km/h. We expect temperatures to increase into the week and this will influence fire behaviour.
Smoke column’s may be visible for residents in nearby communities into the afternoon and evening as these times are usually peak burning periods. Intense fire behaviour is expected Wednesday and Thursday due to dry conditions.
HWF053 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL and is estimated to be 691 ha in size. The wildfire remains under investigation.
HWF061 is currently burning OUT OF CONTROL 20 km northeast of Jon D'or Prairie, 19 km north of Fox Lake and 30 km northwest of Garden River. The closest part of the wildfire is approximately 9 km to highway 58. At this time, the wildfire has not moved further south. The wildfire is now estimated to be 44,323 ha in size and caused by lightning.
There was fire activity observed along the west and north side in the late evening yesterday. The fire activity will get more intense near the end of the week as we’re in a drying trend. Heavy equipment is working on the southeast side to build dozer guard towards the northeast. There is a heavy equipment group on the west side that will move up to the northwest side as they secure the fire perimeter building guard. Due to a weather inversion and low laying smoke access to the fire is limited and crews will continue to action along the south perimeter when it is safe to do so.
The structure protection unit that was called in to protect infrastructure in Garden River has completed their work and will continue to maintain their system in the community as a precaution. As a precautionary measure, structure protection plans have been created for Fox Lake and John D’Or Prairie.
HWF081 is OUT OF CONTROL at 43,214 ha continues to grow under current conditions and was most active on the west and northeast. Firefighters and aircraft will monitor this fire and provide support when needed. The investigation determined this wildfire to have been caused by lightning.
HWF083 is OUT OF CONTROL at 30,046 ha At this time, no significant runs have been observed. 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 219 firefighters and support staff, ten helicopters and 45 pieces of heavy equipment assigned to the Semo Complex. Additional resources are on the way to support firefighting activities.
EVACUATION ALERTS AND ORDERS
Alberta Emergency Alert has stated that Garden River is under an evacuation order. To find more details please visit https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-emergency-alert.aspx and open the more details tab.
You can also follow Little Red River Cree Nation’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lrrcn or their website https://lrrcn.ab.ca/.
There will be information posted on the information board at the entrance of Horizon Camp in John D’Or Prairie at 9:30 a.m. daily.
HCX002 - AMBER RIVER COMPLEX | BISTCHO LAKE (part of HTZ001), HWF030, HWF065, HWF072, HWF074, HWF075, HWF091
An incident management team is responsible for the personnel and resources assigned to the Amber River Complex and its seven wildfires: Bistcho Lake (HTZ001), HWF030, HWF065, HWF072, HWF074, HWF075 and HWF091. There are currently 122 personnel, 12 helicopters and 11 pieces of heavy equipment working on the wildfires within the Amber Complex. The wildfires in this complex do not currently threaten any communities.
Smoke rises above HWF065, one of the wildfires in the Amber River Complex in the High Level Forest Area in Northern Alberta (July 16, 2024).
HTZ001 is a mutual aid wildfire that originated in the border zone with the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) in 2023. The BISTCHO LAKE section of HTZ001, which is estimated to cover an area of 95,000 ha, is actively burning on the NE and SE sides of Bistcho Lake, and its status is OUT OF CONTROL.
Firetack crews are making good progress establishing guards and working on spot fires on the southwest area of the fire. Aerial fire suppression continues as needed.
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.
HWF030 is OUT OF CONTROL and is estimated to cover an area 3,200 ha in size. The cause of this fire is under investigation. This wildfire saw a significant increase in fire behaviour and activity Monday afternoon. Ground crews were pulled back to maintain a safe distance from the fire and tankers actioned the southwest portion of the fire, successfully reducing fire behaviour and slowing its progress.
HWF065 is burning OUT OF CONTROL and is estimated to cover an area 2,490 ha in size. This wildfire is about 15 km southwest of Bistcho Lake and was determined to have been caused by lightning. Significant fire activity and growth is being seen on this wildfire, particularly along the northeast and southeast areas of the fire. The north side of the fire is approaching an old wildfire burn site, which is slowing the fire’s progress in that area. This wildfire will be remapped to determine a more accurate size.
HWF072 is burning OUT OF CONTROL and is estimated to cover an area 3,700 ha in size. This wildfire was determined to have been caused by lightning. 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. Helicopters are continuing with aerial bucketing today, and ground crews continue to consolidate lines on the west end of the fire. Some growth was observed on this wildfire on Monday.
HWF074 was called EXTINGUISHED on July 3, 2024, at a size of 1 ha. This wildfire was determined to have been caused by lightning.
HWF075 is UNDER CONTROL and is estimated to cover an area 3 ha in size. This wildfire was determined to have been caused by lightning.
HWF091 is current BEING HELD and is estimated to cover an area of 128 ha. The investigation found this wildfire to have been caused by lightning.
OTHER FIRES IN THE HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA
To view these and other wildfires in the province, view our interactive map by following the active wildfire link.
PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE SITUATION (as of 10 a.m., July 16)
The fire danger is moderate to high in the northern Rockies and very high to extreme throughout the rest of the province.
Since January 1, 2024 in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, there have been 801 wildfires burning a total of 279,400 hectares (ha).
Last year, on this date, there were 858 wildfires that burnt a total of 2,110,732 ha. In the past five years on this date, an average of 710 wildfires had burnt an average of 604,391 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
At this time, the High Level Forest Area is not issuing any permits. All existing permits are currently suspended.
High Level Forest Area | Permit Line: 780-926-5407. Stay informed of fire restrictions and fire bans in your area by checking Alberta Fire Bans.
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 is the modification of wildland fuels for the purpose of mitigating the potential intensities and impact of wildfire. 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 wildfire's 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.
