The wildfire danger in the High Level Forest Area is EXTREME which means some of the wildfires have seen more active fire behaviour. There has been increased smoke throughout the day which affects visibility and can cause health concerns. If you are experiencing any respiratory concerns please call Alberta Heath Link at 811.
Temperatures are forecasted to remain warm over the coming days with winds of 20 gusting to 45 over the next few days becoming light on Saturday. Crews are expecting to see more wildfire activity and are monitoring the situation closely. Please stay informed and listen to your local authority for alerts.
FIRE RESTRICTION IN EFFECT | SEPTEMBER 1, 2023
A fire restriction is in effect for the High Level Forest Area, due to warm, dry and windy conditions. The fire restriction will remain in effect until conditions improve.
Under this restriction:
- Existing fire permits are restricted, suspended or cancelled and no new fire permits will be issued.
Prohibited:
- All outdoor wood fires are banned on public lands, including backcountry and random camping areas.
- Fireworks and exploding targets.
Allowed:
- Safe wood campfires on private lands and in designated campgrounds.
- Backyard fire pits
- Charcoal briquette barbeques.
- Propane/ natural gas-powered appliances.
- Indoor wood fires contained within a device with a chimney and spark arrestor.
- Cooking, warming and lighting devices that are CSA approved and used as per manufacturer’s standards.
Never leave a campfire unattended. Soak it, stir it and soak it again until cool to the touch to ensure it is extinguished. If you see a wildfire, report it immediately by calling 310-FIRE.
Heavy equipment continues to establish a contingency guard southwest of the Town of High Level. September 22, 2023.
WEATHER |
The forecast for today is a temperature of 23 degrees a relative humidity of 35 percent with winds south/southeast 20 km/h gusting up to 45 km/h. Gusty winds are expected to continue into the weekend and therefore fire activity is expected to increase. There is no significant precipitation in the forecast.
HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA | WILDFIRE SITUATION | SEPTEMBER 22, 2023 AS OF 1:00 PM
There are 23 wildfires in the High Level Forest Area. Of these fires, three are classified as out of control (OC), 14 are being held (BH) and six are under control (UC). To see a map of the wildfires in the High Level Forest Area and across the province please click here.
wildfires of interest;
HTZ001 | A wildfire from the Northwest Territories has entered the High Level Forest Area, northwest of Indian Cabins. The wildfire is classified as out of control (OC) and is approximately 14 km west of highway 35. This wildfire has a last recorded size of 215,632 hectares. Airtankers have established retardant lines to protect nearby infrastructure and crews have established structure protection at Indian Cabins. This fire is being monitored. For more information on this wildfire north of the Alberta border, visit the NWT Fire Info Facebook page or website. For any road closures please visit 511.alberta.ca
HBZ001 | A wildfire from British Columbia has entered the High Level Forest Area, southwest of Rainbow Lake. The wildfire is classified as out of control and has a last recorded size of 32,984 hectares. This fire has been active on the east and northeast sides. Please use cation as this area southwest of Rainbow lake has had access restricted.
HWF030 | The Paskwa fire (HWF030) was detected on May 2, 2023. It extends along the south side of the Peace River from the community of Fox Lake into Wood Buffalo National Park and is approximately 8 km south of the community of Garden River. The wildfire is 96,582 hectares in size and is classified as under control (UC). 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.
THE BASSET FIRE (HWF058) | SEPTEMBER 22, 2023 AS OF 1:00 PM
An Incident Management Team (IMT) is managing this wildfire.
HWF058 | This wildfire is classified as out of control (OC) at 141,061 hectares in size. This wildfire is approximately 44km southwest of the Town of High Level, 15 km from the northwest corner boundary of the Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement, approximately 3 kilometers south of highway 58 and 38 kilometers west of highway 35.
With the strong gusty winds fire activity increased yesterday and growth was reported on the north side. The forecast for today is calling for gusty winds, south/southeast 20 km/h gusting up to 45 km/h.
Winds are expected to push the fire towards highway 58 later today. Please stay informed and use caution. Alberta Transportation is in communication with Alberta Wildfire and are ready to close the highway if needed. Atco has completed fire protection around the power poles by wrapping them with fire mesh and has cleared grasses and vegetation around the poles. Please stay informed and check 511.alberta.ca for road closure information.
Drought conditions continue to challenge firefighting efforts with no significant rain in the forecast. The smoky conditions on the north side continue to challenge firefighter and aircraft access into this area of the fire. Visibility on the east and southeast side improved yesterday afternoon and helicopters with water buckets were able to cool down hotspots in priority areas.
Heavy equipment has completed control lines around the east side of the fire working from the Chingaga River, east towards the Chain Ponds. They will now work east along the fire perimeter. Heavy equipment is making great progress on creating a contingency line, southwest of the Town of High Level. Working west off of highway 35 near West Fraser and then heading north towards highway 58.
The guards in place on the south end of the wildfire continue to hold and there is no threat to Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement at this time. There is no immediate threat to any communities but as the situation can change quickly please stay informed and listen to your local authority for alerts.
There are 60 firefighters, support staff, 18 helicopters and 34 pieces of heavy equipment working on this fire. Additional resources have been requested.
THE LONG LAKE FIRE (HWF036) | SEPTEMBER 22, 2023 AS OF 1:00 PM
An Incident Management Team (IMT) is managing this fire.
HWF036 | This wildfire is classified as being held (BH) at 188,333 hectares. Being held means that given current weather conditions and resources, the wildfire is not anticipated to grow past expected boundaries.
Crews continue to work on hotspots along the eastern perimeter and heavy equipment continues to strengthen and extend the containment lines in key areas. The northeast guard protecting the community of Chateh continues to hold. The west and southwest side is where the most activity has been reported and therefore access restrictions have been put in place.
The Town of Rainbow Lake in consultation with the Dene Tha' First Nation, Mackenzie County and Alberta Wildfire have restricted access to areas southwest and west of the Town of Rainbow Lake. There are barricades placed to restrict access both west and south of the Town of Rainbow Lake due to safety concerns. South of Baseline (Bivouac) Road up to the BC boarder, and south of the Town of Rainbow Lake including the lake itself including areas further south. This area is seeing intense wildfire behaviour and is dangerous to the public. The Town of Rainbow Lake is working closely with partners to monitor the situation and will inform the public once the area is safe to travel in again.
There are 34 firefighters, support staff, 7 helicopters and 30 pieces of heavy equipment working on this fire.
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.
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.
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
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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.
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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.
To see all the wildfires burning in Alberta click here.
WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS | Learn how you can prepare yourself for a wildfire by clicking here.