The wildfire danger is very high in the High Level Forest Area. With the return of hot and windy conditions new wildfire starts have the potential to spread quickly. Please do your part and respect the Fire Ban and OHV Restriction. Help firefighters respond to new wildfires by calling 310-FIRE(3473).
Under this fire ban:
•All existing Fire Permits are suspended (or cancelled)
•No new Fire Permits will be issued
Prohibited:
•All outdoor wood fires are banned, including wood campfires on public lands, wood campfires on private land and provincial campgrounds
•Backyard firepits
•BBQ charcoal briquettes
•The use of fireworks and exploding targets
•The recreational use of off-highway vehicles (OHV) on public lands, including designated OHV trails
Allowed:
•Propane/natural gas-powered appliances
•Open flame oil devices (e.g., turkey deep fryers, tiki torches)
•Indoor wood fires contained within a device with a chimney and spark arrestor
•All appliances must be CSA approved and used per manufacturer’s standards
•Indigenous people when using an OHV for traditional purposes. Traditional purposes are hunting, fishing, and trapping – including the use of an OHV to travel to the location(s) for these purposes.
•Essential industry-related activities requiring the use of OHVs.
•Off-highway vehicle use is still permitted on private lands.
Stay away from active wildfire areas | For your safety and to ensure firefighters can do their job safely, please stay away from active wildfire areas. Your cooperation is essential.
Danger 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.
Reporting wildfires | Please do not report smoke or flame from within an active wildfire area. Firefighters are diverted from essential tasks to respond to fires reported by the public. You may see smoke or flame within the existing boundary of a wildfire, this is normal.
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, and take necessary precautions if you have smoke-related health 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 Alberta firefighters the space they need to do their jobs safely. *Transport Canada
There are nine wildfires in the High Level Forest Area. Of these fires, five are classified as out of control (OC), one is being held (BH) and three are under control (UC). Firefighters responded to one new wildfire yesterday, fire HWF065. Please see the updates below regarding the Paskwa fire and the Long Lake Complex. To see a map of the wildfires in the High Level Forest Area and across the province please click here.
Wildfires of interest;
HWF065 | This fire is located approximately 42 km southeast of South Tall Cree boundary, where the Wabasca River meets highway 88. This fire is classified as out of control (OC) at 400 hectares. Firefighters are patrolling and monitoring this fire.
HWF064 | This fire is located approximately 24 km northwest of the community of Zama City. This fire is classified as out of control (OC) at 80 hectares. This fire has 9 firefighters, and one helicopter working on this fire.
THE LONG LAKE COMPLEX | HWF036, HWF058 | JUNE 11, 2023 AS OF 11:00 AM
HWF036 | This fire was detected on May 3, 2023. This fire is classified as Out of Control (OC) with a last recorded size of 155,934 hectares.
The northeast guard protecting the community of Chateh continues to hold with limited active fire along this edge. Firefighters continue to build containment lines with dozers along Silvertip Road to the gas plant. Cenovus has been working with the Incident Management Team (IMT) to determine a safe return to work plan.
The fire continues to be the most active west of the Town of Rainbow Lake moving towards the British Columbia border. Heavy equipment is working to establish guards on the southwest side. The Incident Management Team are in daily contact with the IMT in Fort Nelson. Crews are monitoring the fire by air and bucketing priority hot spots.
Aircraft is working on hot spots along Baseline Road and north of Baseline Road. Putting out hot spots as they arise. Crews are patrolling and are using hand ignition to burn out unburnt areas to further contain the area. There has been reduced fire activity along the power easement and gas plant area. Crews have been working with dozers along the fire edge from Winter Road to the power line easement.
Please be aware that there is still active fire burning in the area. Residents are reminded not to enter the fire area due to large number of firefighters, and equipment working. Burnt trees continue to fall which are dangerous.
Incident Management Teams from Canada, America and Australia and a large number of helicopters are currently working at the Incident Command Post located at the Town of Rainbow Lake airport to support this fire.
There are 111 wildland and structural firefighters, as well as Incident Management staff. There are 10 helicopters and heavy equipment working this fire.
HWF058 |This fire is located approximately 80 km southwest of the Town of High Level and approximately 23 km northwest of the of Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement boundary marker, where the Haig River meets the Chinchaga River. This fire is classified as out of control (OC) with an estimated size of 10,612 hectares. There are 45 firefighters, and 3 helicopters working on this fire. This fire is now being managed by the Incident Management Team (IMT) on the Long Lake fire. The Long Lake fire is now the Long Lake Complex.
Yesterday, the fire was very active with predominant growth reported to the east. Yesterday morning, the fire area is very smoky however crews are able to safely access the southeast side and worked to establish control lines with the support of aircraft. As the conditions changed in the afternoon with the cold front moving into the area, crews and aircraft were pulled back due to unsafe conditions.
Weather Forecast | Long Lake Complex
The forecast for today is as follows, a temperature of 23 degrees, a relative humidity of 15 percent with winds northwest 15 km/h gusting up to 30 km/h. There is also a Red Flag Watch in effect again today. This means that with the current conditions, extreme fire behaviour is expected which will challenge firefighters and aircraft.
THE PASKWA FIRE | HWF030 | JUNE 11, 2023 AS OF 11:00 AM
The Paskwa Fire is classified as Out of Control (OC) at 94,172 hectares. The top priorities for managing the Paskwa Fire are full extinguishment of fire within Fox Lake, protecting Garden River, and working toward securing the fire perimeter to prevent significant fire spread.
There was slight precipitation, and cooler temperatures which will assist with low fire behavior this morning. We are expecting fire activity to pick-up in the early afternoon after the cloud cover clears later this morning. There is still lingering smoke in the community of Fox Lake but ground crews are still present. Today, crews will be working to extinguish hotspots and remove danger trees along Ribbonleg Road and will continue as they expand their work outwards to Prairie Road and other areas in Fox Lake.
Work continues along the entire north-northeast perimeter to extinguish hot spots, working to keep the fire south of the Peace River. Today, fire crews are working near 5th Meridian and will continue east, working along the oxbow to extinguish hot spots within the fire perimeter. There are many spotty areas within the perimeter, and this will take time for crews to extinguish. Helicopters will also support by bucketing in the area. This area is a priority to prevent fire spread north across the Peace River and to protect the community of Garden River.
Helicopters will continue bucketing along the southeast perimeter, and today ground crews will continue with fire suppression in the area. Once this work is completed the crews will move upwards to the northeast flank of the wildfire. Most of the heat from the wildfire is located on this flank.
Firefighters will work to extinguish hotspots from Little Red River moving to Muskeg Creek.
Work continues in Fox Lake to extinguish 75m (250 ft) perimeters around structures and the removal of danger trees. Heavy equipment is working around larger hotspot areas where there is still potential for fire spread to contain the fire while crews work to extinguish these hotspots.
The high-volume water system, water lines, and sprinkler systems on structures are in place in the community of Garden River and structural firefighters will be available as needed. These are proactive measures to ensure the community is prepared should the fires move closer to Garden River.
There are currently 136 personnel supporting the Paskwa Fire response consisting of wildland and structural firefighters, incident management staff, and Paskwa Fire Base support staff. There are also 10 helicopters and 19 pieces of heavy equipment dedicated to the Paskwa fire.
Weather Forecast | Paskwa Fire
Today, the forecast is as follows a temperature of 25 degrees, a relative humidity of 20 percent and winds, west 15-20 km/h gusting 35 km/h. There is also a Red Flag Warning in effect.
Evacuation Information and Alerts
Little Red River Cree Nation has an evacuation order in place for the community of Fox Lake. The community of Garden River remains on an evacuation alert. For information regarding the evacuation, please stay informed by visiting the Little Red River Cree Nation’s Facebook page.
The community of Garden River is under an evacuation alert.
Wood Buffalo National Park Fire Update| Davidson Complex
The fires in the Davidson Lake area are approximately 47,907 hectares combined and located 26 km northeast of Garden River. Yesterday, Fire 14 again did not pass Trident Creek, but may see some growth today with expected extreme fire behaviour conditions.
Fire specialists will keep monitoring Fire 14 today to try to hold the fire to Trident creek. They will also look for ignition opportunities to limit the fire’s spread by bringing it to natural features such as creeks and wet areas. One crew continues to assess cabins in the area and maintain sprinkler systems already in place. A new crew arrived yesterday and will be based out of the Paskwa fire base with one helicopter, which will make maintaining structure protection faster and more efficient.
Eight bulldozers and two excavators officially completed the first fire guard along the boundary of Wood Buffalo National Park yesterday and finished half of Dozer Line A, a second fuel break line in the park, between the community of Garden River and Fire 14. Today, they’ll continue working toward completion of the second guard.
One fire crew, a helicopter and 4 fire specialists are now based in the Garden River area. Incident Management Team members are working on options to move more personnel to the Garden River area to manage the Davidson Lake Fires more efficiently.
This information has been provided by the Wood Buffalo National Park, Fire Information Officer. For more information regarding fires burning within the Wood Buffalo National Park, please click here.
DO NOT FLY DRONES NEAR WILDFIRES!
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 Alberta firefighters the space they need to do their jobs safely.
*Transport Canada
ALBERTA STATE OF EMERGENCY
A provincial state of emergency has been declared. Albertans who require assistance can call 310-4455 for wildfire related information.
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, please check albertafirebans.ca to determine whether 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.
WILDFIRE LINKS AND TOOLS
Volunteers, equipment owners/operators or firefighters looking to assist with these wildfires or any of the wildfires within the province can contact EmergencySupportOffers@gov.ab.ca.
There are multiple EVACUATION ORDERS & ALERTS in the Province. Please visit Alberta Emergency Alerts or your community webpage for more information.
For road closure information, please visit: 511.alberta.ca
Wildfire smoke is a tool used for the location of smoke firesmoke.ca
To see all the wildfires burning in Alberta click here.
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Victoria Ostendorf
Wildfire Information Officer
High Level Forest Area
Mobile: 780-841-9387
Email: victoria.ostendorf@gov.ab.ca