High Level Area Update (16)

The wildfire danger rating for the High Level Forest Area is now considered LOW.

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 plan to harvest your own firewood, get your free "personal use forest products permit" online or at your local forestry office.

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

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.

Along with the hard work of hundreds of firefighting personnel, cooler temperatures and recent precipitation in the High Level Forest Area (HLFA) have contributed to the ongoing progress being made towards containment and control of the wildfires in the Semo Complex and in other parts of the HLFA (Sept. 9, 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 3 Christmas trees under 2.5 m (approximately 8 ft) 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 19 wildfires burning in the High Level Forest Area. Of these, 13 are being held, and six 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 326,162 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 approximately 90 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 (as visibility permits). 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 380 firefighters and support personnel, including 20 helicopters and 72 pieces of heavy equipment associated to the Semo Wildfire Complex. Firefighters are taking a much-needed day off while some of these wildfires are receiving rainfall. They plan to return to the fireline again tomorrow.

All of the wildfires within the Semo Complex are classified as BEING HELD. Being held means that these wildfires are not expected to grow beyond established boundaries under the current conditions.

HWF136 is approximately 5,480 ha in size and located along the north side of Highway 58 and is approximately 13 km northwest of Garden River. The cause of this wildfire is under investigation.

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.

Other wildfires in this complex are further north and are within or near Caribou Mountain Wildland Provincial Park. They were all caused by lightning, except for HWF141, which remains under investigation. These wildfires include:

HWF053 is approximately 709 ha in size.
HWF081 is approximately 52,026 ha in size.
HWF083 is approximately 35,470 ha in size.
HWF141 is approximately 2,537 ha in size.

Sept 7 LFB04

Firefighters work alongside heavy equipment on the Semo Complex, digging into deep ash pits to fully extinguish the southern perimeter of HWF061 (September 2024).

WILDFIRE OPERATIONS

HWF136 | Very little fire activity was observed again yesterday, and very little is expected again today. Firefighters have been working quickly to search for and extinguishing hotspots in identified areas. Once this fire is 100-percent controlled, firefighters will be strategically placed on the perimeter of HWF061.

HWF061 | Very little fire activity was observed today on the southern edge of the wildfire, which is receiving significant amount of precipitation. However, deep-burning ash pits will still be an issue, regardless of the rain this week, and it will take time to dig up these hotpots in order to extinguish them with water.

Firefighters, and helicopters with water buckets, will be taking advantage of the cooler temperatures in the coming days, while continuing to work on the containment lines on the southern perimeter. The process, often called mop-up, can take a long time, depending on working conditions – such as steep slopes, smouldering vegetation, and the depth and extent of ash pits.

Firefighters are often accompanied by heavy equipment, such as excavators, nodwells and water trucks. Once firefighters have found the hotspots, they dig deep into the ground and extinguish with water. Many lengths of water hose, pumps and hand tools are used on the fireline. This equipment, which requires care and maintenance, includes sprinkler systems that are established in key areas along the fireline to help extinguish deep burning pits.

Reclamation continues along Highway 58, using mulchers and "feller bunchers" to remove dangerous trees that could fall onto the road. Structure protection equipment at Pitchimi Lake remains in place, as a precaution.

WEATHER FORECAST

Today, a high of 13C and 80-percent relative humidity is expected, along with winds from the northeast at 20-25 km/h, gusting to 50 km/h. Significant precipitation started this morning and firefighters will be checking their rain gauges for specific amounts today. The area is expected to see cooler temperatures, higher relative humidity, and possibly more rain in the coming days.

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