The wildfire danger is very high in the High Level Forest Area. The fire ban and off-highway vehicle restriction remain in effect. To report a wildfire please call 310-FIRE(3473).
There are five wildfires in the High Level Forest Area. Of these fires, two are classified as out of control (OC) and three are under control (UC). To see a map of the wildfires in the High Level Forest Area and across the province please click here.
THE LONG LAKE FIRE | HWF036 | MAY 27, 2023 AS OF 10:00 AM
This fire is located in the vicinity of the Town of Rainbow Lake. This wildfire is classified as out of control (OC) with a last recorded size of 124,758 hectares.
With the return of hotter temperatures, the fire has seen an increase in fire activity. Most of the fire activity observed yesterday was on the west side and on the northeast side there were green islands of unburnt forest burning within the fire perimeter. As of this update, this wildfire is approximately 10 km from the community of Chateh.
Firefighters, heavy equipment and aircraft continue to reinforce the east side guard to prevent spread to the community of Chateh and other infrastructure. In addition, crews and heavy equipment have begun working on the southwest side.
Firefighters' top priority is the safety of the Town of Rainbow Lake, the community of Chateh, and oil and gas and energy infrastructure. Wildland firefighters and wildland urban interface crews continue to monitor and patrol properties and the structures within the Town of Rainbow Lake, the community of Chateh and the Silver Tip Open camp until evacuation orders are rescinded, power lines re-energized and communications are re-established.
There are 85 firefighters, 10 helicopters and heavy equipment working on the Long Lake Fire. Structural protection crews will continue protecting structures within the area as the wildfire situation evolves.
The Town of Rainbow Lake has an evacuation order in place.
Dene Tha First Nation has an evacuation order in place for the community of Chateh.
Please stay informed by downloading the Alberta Emergency Alert mobile app or by visiting their website.
Weather Forecast | Long Lake Fire
Today the forecast is as follows, a temperature of 21 degrees, a relative humidity of 30-35 percent with west winds 15 - 20 km/h gusting to 30 km/h.
THE PASKWA FIRE | HWF030 | MAY 27, 2023 AS OF 10:00 AM
The Paskwa fire is located in the community of Fox Lake and was detected on May 2, 2023. This fire is classified as Out of Control (OC) and the last recorded size is 73,936 hectares.
Yesterday’s warm and dry weather saw an increase in fire activity. Today, temperatures will be similar and fire behaviour is expected to pick up early.
The fire is most active along the eastern perimeter. Yesterday, crews on the ground focused on strengthening the northeast fire guard to protect the community of Garden River. Four heavy helicopters bucketed along the eastern edge of the fire. This work continues today.
On Friday evening, smoke and ash blew into Garden River. While understandably concerning for residents, the ash posed no risk. It was carried by upper-level winds from the fire area. There is the potential for smoke and ash to affect the community again today. Structural protection remains in place in Garden River with fire fighters ready to respond if needed. Additional sprinkler systems are being installed today.
In Fox Lake, crews began work to extinguish 76m (250 ft) perimeters around all structures in the community. A significant number of hot spots remain in other areas throughout the community, many burning deep in the ground. The objective in Fox Lake is to fully extinguish remaining fire in the area and remove fire related hazards like danger trees. The area is still not safe for residents to return. The Incident Management Team is working closely with Little Red River Cree Nations’ Chief and Council, and the Alberta Emergency Management Association to identify a safe route for residents to have an escorted visit to the community in the coming days.
A top priority is keeping the Paskwa Fire south of the Peace River. Fire crews are monitoring for any fire activity along the river and responding with ground crews and helicopter support as required.
Yesterday, crews finished work on the fire guard on the southwest perimeter, extinguishing a 30m-wide (100 ft) line to prevent spread toward cultural values. Today, work will begin to extend this line further to the east.
There are 98 fire personnel (including a 19-person Incident Management Team), 9 helicopters, and heavy equipment dedicated to the Paskwa fire.
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.
Weather Forecast | Paskwa Fire
Today the forecast is as follows, a temperature of 26 degrees, a relative humidity of 30-35 percent, with south to southwest winds 15-20 km/h.
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.
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
The NASA FIRMS Fire Information website is a great resource to give an idea of the location of wildfires in the area, but it should be noted that this data is based on interpolation and often can make a wildfire appear larger than it actually is.
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