The wildfire danger in the High Level Forest Area (HLFA) remains HIGH.
The High Level Forest Area remains under a FIRE RESTRICTION (see details below).
If you see smoke or flame and suspect it's a wildfire, please call 310-FIRE (3473).
The forest area may experience heavy smoke over communities at times. Contact 811 for smoke-related health concerns.
Residents and others in the vicinity of John D'Or Prairie are asked to watch out for firefighters in their community over the next few days, as we remove structural protection from buildings and roadways.
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.
*The next update will be available tomorrow evening, unless conditions change.
An aerial view of HWF061 (Aug. 25, 2024), the largest wildfire in the Semo Complex and the closest to the communities of John D'Or Prairie and Fox Lake, which is now BEING HELD (BH) – meaning all six fires in this complex are now BH (see below). This success is due to the dedicated and ongoing efforts of Alberta firefighters and support personnel, including crews from the Little Red River Cree Nation, and the support of our Canadian and international partners.
HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA | WILDFIRE SITUATION
There are currently 20 wildfires burning in the High Level Forest Area. Of these, one is out of control, 12 are being held, and seven are classified as under control. There is also one wildfire along the Alberta-N.W.T. border.
Since January 1, 2024, there have been 173 wildfires in the High Level Forest Area, burning a total of 323,968 hectares (ha).
NASA FIRMS Fire Information website is a great resource to give an approximate location of hotspots in an area, but cannot always be used to determine specifically where a wildfire is burning. The heat from smoke columns, reflections from water and other heat signatures will appear on the map. It's important to note that the data is based on a mathematical estimate (interpolation) and can often make a wildfire appear larger than it actually is.
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.
WEATHER FORECAST: The temperature in the area is expected to reach 22C on Monday with a relative humidity (RH) of 40 percent. Winds are expected from the south at 15-20 km/h. Some precipitation is forecast over the next 24 hours.
HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA | ACTIVE WILDFIRES OF INTEREST
HCX001 – Semo Complex (HWF053, HWF061, HWF081, HWF083, HWF136, HWF141)
The Semo Wildfire Complex is located north of John D'Or Prairie and Fox Lake, and west of Garden River.
There are currently 456 firefighters and support personnel, 26 helicopters and 104 pieces of heavy equipment and water trucks working on the Semo Wildfire Complex.
HWF061 is a lightning-caused wildfire that is now classified as BEING HELD. This is due to all the hard work of the crews, personnel and contractors who have been working on this complex for more than 50 days. Significant and recent precipitation has helped to solidify this change of status. Being held means that this fire is not expected to grow beyond established boundaries under current conditions.
This wildfire is estimated to be 106,564 hectares (ha) and located approximately:
- 8.8 km northeast of the community boundary line of John D'Or Prairie
- 10.7 km north of the community boundary line of Fox Lake
- 1.7 km north of Highway 58
Today, almost no fire behaviour was observed on this complex, due to the recent rain received.
HWF136 is currently BEING HELD at approximately 6,037 ha in size. This wildfire is located along the north side of Highway 58 and is approximately 13 km northwest of Garden River.
Other fires in this complex are further north within or nearby Caribou Mountain Wildland Provincial Park. Most of these wildfires were caused by lightning, but two of the wildfires remain under investigation (HWF136 and HWF141). These fires are all classified as BEING HELD and are being monitored by wildfire management personnel. These wildfires include:
- HWF053, which is approximately 709 ha in size.
- HWF081, which is approximately 51,006 ha in size.
- HWF083, which is approximately 33,974 ha in size.
- HWF141, which is approximately 2,535 ha in size.
Fire Operations
Even with all wildfires within the Semo Complex now being held, there is still lots of work to do. Firefighters, supported by bucketing operations, continue to work towards achieving a 100-ft control line along the southern perimeter of HWF061. Heavy equipment operators have been working with danger tree assessors and fallers to remove trees that could be hazardous to crews.
Crews. along with the support of helicopters, continue to look for hotspots within the perimeter of HWF136 to extinguish. Most crews are working towards each other, travelling southward from along the northeast, while other crews travel eastward along the south side of the main fire perimeter to connect those lines.
Progress continues to be made for mulching downed logs on the north side of Highway 58. This work will continue to remove trees that could be hazardous to people or vehicles.
Margaret Lake has shown no fire activity and the structure protection was demobilized (removed) today. Over the coming days, we will also start to demobilize at Pitchimi Lake and in John D’Or Prairie.
Weather Forecast
Tomorrow, the temperature is expected to reach 18C with a relative humidity around 55 percent. Winds are expected from the south at 15-20 km/h, shifting to come out of the northwest at 10-15 km/h by 8:00 PM. There’s a 20 percent chance of a small amount (less than 1 mm) of precipitation.
Alberta Wildfire uses advanced technology – including drones* with infrared, thermal-imaging capability launched from ground locations (normally at night and always when no aircraft are in the area) – to scan fires in order to determine their size and the locations of hotspots. Along with aerial scans done by fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, the data received allows planners to more effectively assign firefighting personnel and resources where most needed (HLFA, August 2024).
*While Alberta Wildfire uses drones under strict conditions to enhance fire suppression effectiveness, drone use by others is not allowed in the vicinity of wildfires – and can be an operational and safety issue (see below for further details).
View the full public map of the Semo Wildfire Complex.
Contained fire line: a secured perimeter of at least 10 feet that is maintained by firefighters using mechanical, hose line, or natural barriers.
Controlled fire line: a secured perimeter of at least 100 feet, including around all hot spots that are an immediate threat, which is expected to hold under the foreseeable conditions.
OTHER ACTIVE WILDFIRES IN THE HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA
HWF072, which is burning OUT OF CONTROL, is located 45 km west of Zama City and 60 km northwest of Chateh. This fire is estimated to be 36,291 ha in size. Visibility remains good, which allowed air and ground operations today.
There are 112 firefighting personnel, 10 helicopters and two dozer groups (10 pieces) of heavy equipment assigned to HWF072. Heavy equipment operators continue working to establish and enhance containment lines around the perimeter, while firefighters (supported by heli-bucketing) work on hotspots. The cause of HWF072 has been determined to be lightning.
HWF047, which is UNDER CONTROL, is approximately 30 km north of the Town of High Level and covers an area of 1,707 ha. Approximately 50 firefighters and four helicopters are assigned to HWF047, continuing their work towards extinguishing this wildfire. Tomorrow, there will be one less unit crew on this wildfire, leaving about 30 firefighters, along with air support.
HTZ001 (bordering on the N.W.T. to the north), which included previous areas of concern to the NE and SE of Bistcho Lake, is classified as BEING HELD and is being monitored closely. Please see NWT Wildfire Update Map and the South Slave SS009-24 Update for more information on the status of this and other fires on the N.W.T. side of the border.
*No significant growth has been observed on the above-noted wildfires and none currently threaten communities. To view these and other wildfires in Alberta, view our interactive map by following the active wildfire link.
PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE SITUATION (as of 10 a.m., Aug. 25)
The fire danger for most of the Forest Protection Area is low except for northern and eastern Alberta where the fire danger is moderate to high. The northeast corner of the province will see very high fire danger. The fire danger is extreme in much of the agricultural zone.
Since January 1, 2024 in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, there have been 1105 wildfires burning a total of 704,041 hectares (ha).
Last year, on this date, there were 983 wildfires that burnt a total of 2,204,517 ha. In the past five years on this date, an average of 922 wildfires had burnt an average of 635,857 ha.
FIRE RESTRICTION IN EFFECT
A fire restriction remains in place for the High Level Forest Area.
Under this restriction, existing fire permits are restricted, suspended or cancelled and no new fire permits will be issued.
Prohibited:
- Wood campfires on public land
- Fireworks and exploding targets
Allowed:
- Safe wood campfires in a designated campground, on private land and in backyard fire pits
- Charcoal briquette barbeques
- Propane/natural gas powered appliances
- Open flame oil devices
- Indoor wood fires
If you see a wildfire, report it immediately by calling 310-FIRE.
The fire restriction will remain in effect until conditions improve.
Visit Alberta Fire Bans for more information.
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.
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 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
- Visit firesmoke.ca to view smoke drifts in the area
- Call 811 for smoke related health concerns
- For evacuation information please visit https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-emergency-alert.aspx
- 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.
- 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
