High Level Forest Area Update - September 11, 2024

Four of the six wildfires in the Semo Complex are now under control (see full update and a special thank-you below).

Never leave your cooking or warming fire unattended, and always ensure you fully extinguish it. Soak the ashes, stir them, and soak them again until they're cool to the touch.

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

See below for information on harvesting and burning permits.

Updates will now be posted on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, unless conditions change.

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.

Nodwells (left), which form part of the heavy equipment groups at many wildfires, including the Semo Complex above, are an excellent mode of transportation for both personnel and equipment on challenging terrain (Sept. 8, 2024).

IF YOU PLAN TO HARVEST IT, GET YOUR PERMIT

Personal Use Forest Products Permits are for small-scale personal use only (no resale) for Christmas trees, firewood or transplants. These free permits are available online or in person at your nearest forestry office. The PUFPP entitles individuals to:

Cut up to three Christmas trees under 2.5 m (approximately 8 feet in height and no more than 15 cm in diameter at the stump).
Transplant up to 20 trees less than 2.5 m in height.
Cut up to 5 cubic metres (5 m³) of firewood. The number of trees cut depends on tree species and size and is approximately:
- 5 to 7 large coniferous trees (generally trees with needles), or
- 4 to 6 deciduous trees (generally trees with leaves), or
- 5 m³ is approximately 1.5 cords (approximately 3 level 1/2 ton pickup truck boxes).
Cut up to 5 m³ of roundwood timber (fence posts or poles).

PUFPPs authorize Albertans to cut and removed timber from designated Crown land only. The area-specific PUFPP document must be with you at all times while cutting or transporting trees from Crown land. In one 30-day period, a person can hold up to 4 permits – up to one permit each for:

firewood
Christmas trees
roundwood
transplants

IF YOU PLAN TO BURN IT, GET YOUR PERMIT

Fire permits are now required for any outdoor burning with the exception of campfires.

Fire permits are free and can be requested online. Visit firepermits.alberta.ca to request your fire permit online. You may also request your fire permit by calling your local Forestry Office.

High Level Forest Area | Permit Line - 780-926-5407.

Stay informed of fire restrictions and fire bans in your area by checking Alberta Firebans.

HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA | WILDFIRE SITUATION

There are currently 18 wildfires burning in the High Level Forest Area. Of these, eight are being held and 10 are classified as under control. There is also one wildfire along the Alberta-N.W.T. border.

Since January 1, 2024, there have been 177 wildfires in the High Level Forest Area, burning a total of 326,158 hectares (ha).

HWF072, which is BEING HELD, is located 45 km west of Zama City and 60 km northwest of Chateh. This wildfire is estimated to be 35,921 ha in size. There are now approximately 70 firefighting personnel, eight helicopters and 10 pieces of heavy equipment assigned to this wildfire. Heavy equipment operators continue working to establish and enhance containment lines around the perimeter, while firefighters and helicopters with buckets work on hotspots. The cause of this wildfire was determined to be lightning.

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.

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

HCX001 – Semo Complex (HWF053, HWF061, HWF081, HWF083, HWF136, HWF141)

The Semo Wildfire Complex is located west of Garden River, north of Fox Lake and John D'Or Prairie.

There are currently 377 firefighters and support personnel, including 20 helicopters and 74 pieces of heavy equipment associated to the Semo Wildfire Complex.

We would like to thank both wildland and structural firefighters, incident management team members, support staff, heavy equipment operators, aircraft personnel, contractors, kitchen and camp staff, volunteers and residents for their dedication and hard work.

We are also grateful to their families, friends and those who supported them while they were away from home for long periods of time. We also appreciate the understanding and support from the residents of Little Red River Cree First Nations, who were excellent hosts to Alberta Wildfire, and the many national and international firefighters that came to aide in the efforts.

A special thanks to all the Little Red River Cree First Nations leaders and support staff and municipal partners who worked in unison with us for the past 10 weeks.

All of the wildfires within the Semo Complex were evaluated yesterday. Thanks to the hard work and dedication from everyone, they are now classified as:

HWF136 is now UNDER CONTROL at 5,480 ha.

HWF053 is now UNDER CONTROL at 709 ha.

HWF061 is still classified as BEING HELD (at 105,871 ha), until further work is completed on the southern perimeter.

HWF081 is now UNDER CONTROL at 52,026.

HWF141 is still classified as BEING HELD (at 2,537 ha), until hotspots are extinguished on the edge of its perimeter.

HWF083 is now UNDER CONTROL at 35,470 ha.

These wildfires will be continuously monitored by firefighters and actioned when required.

BEING HELD means that these wildfires are not expected to grow beyond established boundaries under the current conditions. UNDER CONTROL means that these wildfires are completely contained and will be extinguished.

HWF061 is approximately 105,871 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. The wildfire was determined to be caused by lightning.

This morning, firefighters returned to the fireline to continue extinguishing hotspots and create a 50-100 foot containment line to prevent further spread of the wildfire. Some of the biggest challenges firefighters have been facing are steep slopes and deep burning ash pits. The rain has helped some of the areas that are burning, but will make the terrain slippery for travel for a couple days.

Firefighters will continue to mop up, with the assistance of heavy equipment like excavators, nodwells and water trucks. This process takes a lot of time and energy, digging deep into the ground and soaking it with water.

Clean-up work continues along Highway 58, using mulchers to remove dangerous trees that could fall onto the road. The reclamation planning process will also be starting soon. This will involve returning the topsoil back over the containment lines, which were built by heavy equipment and no longer pose a threat from the wildfire. Rolling back the topsoil will also allow for new growth.

WEATHER FORECAST

Today, a high of 18C is expected, along with a relative humidity of 35 per cent and variable southern winds at 15 km/h. Tomorrow, a high of 20C with 35% relative humidity is forecasted with south-southwest winds at 10-15 km/h. Similar weather is expected for the next several days, with no rain in the forecast.

Established firelines provide a guard and access routes for firefighters on the Semo Complex, as steady progress continues to be made towards containment and control of these wildfires (Sept. 8).

FIRESMART YOUR HOME AND PROPERTY

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.

Now that fall is quickly approaching, we ask farm and acreage owners to start thinking about FireSmart options for their property. Here are some tips to get you started:

Fields and pastureland | Give yourself, your neighbours, your livestock and firefighters a chance against wildfire by reducing the accumulation of dry grass and stubble. This will help to prevent a fire from escaping your property or from coming in to your yard. Cut the grass! It sounds simple, but well-maintained short grass can be a good fire deterrent. When a swift-moving grass fire hits a mowed patch of grass, it slows the spread of the fire and sometimes the fire will burn itself out. Grain fields located near or next to building sites should be worked up. At the very least, work up a strip next to the building site to act as a fire guard.

Dry stubble in the fields can carry a fire into the yard and with new farming practices of zero or minimal till, the accumulation of fine, dry fuel is increased. Make one or two passes around the yard before putting your tillage equipment away for the winter and you’ll go a long way in reducing the risk from wildfire. If you have hay fields next to the yard, cut them as late in the season as possible to minimize re-growth, or mow a strip next to the building site to act as a fire guard.

Allowing livestock to graze in the fields next to the yard in the fall will also help to reduce the amount of vegetation and potential fire hazard. Dry pastureland presents the same challenges to wildfire as hayfields and grain fields. Tilling around the outside perimeter of pastureland will create a fire break that could save your field from burning, or prevent a fire from spreading to your other fields.

Learn more about reducing wildfire risks on the farm; download the FireSmart Farm and Acreage Guide.

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.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.

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.
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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