The fire danger in the Lac La Biche Forest Area is extreme.
When the fire danger level is at extreme: Forest fuels are extremely dry and pose a very serious fire risk. Fast-spreading, high-intensity fires are likely, which are very difficult to control.
A fire ban is in effect for the Lac La Biche Forest Area.
If you see smoke or flame in the forest please call 310-FIRE (3473) to report it.
Kettle River Complex (LCX001) | LWF136, LWF164 and LWF152
The Kettle River Complex (LCX001) includes 17 wildfires: LWF101, LWF123, LWF124, LWF126, LWF136, LWF139, LWF140, LWF141, LWF142, LWF143, LWF152, LWF155, LWF156, LWF159, LWF162, LWF164 and LWF168. An Incident Management Team (IMT) is committed to this complex and is now responsible for the personnel and resources assigned to its wildfires.
The weather forecast for the next few days is seeing temperature highs of 28-31C and relative humidity low of 35-40%; conditions will remain dry and hot. Wind conditions for Monday are expected to be easterly to southeasterly 15-20 km/h then picking up to 30-35 km/h this evening. A cold front will pass through the Kettle River Complex area around 6 p.m. this evening with minimal rain from showers and thunderstorms expected.
LWF136 – This wildfire is located approximately 15 km northwest of the community of Janvier. It is currently 500 ha in size and classified as OUT OF CONTROL. Resources committed to this wildfire include two heavy equipment groups, 77 firefighters and three Task Force Division Leaders. Yesterday we saw some fire activity on the west and east sides of the fire with some spread along the powerline corridor along the west flank. Crews made good progress on the established dozer guards; dozer guard construction is ongoing. Last night, night-vision helicopters were able to do some bucketing. Today, crews will continue consolidating hose lines on established catguards, and heavy equipment will continue working on a new excursion to the south followed by crews with hose lines.
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) has issued an evacuation alert for the hamlet of Janvier.
LWF164 – This wildfire was detected July 17. It is located approximately 12km northeast of Conklin along Highway 881. It is classified as OUT OF CONTROL at 936 ha. Yesterday, two hack crews were able to assess for potential containment lines and water sources. The fire did not cross the MEG Energy egress or Highway 881.
Alberta transportation may temporarily close Highway 881 due to variable smoke drift. Visit 511 Alberta for the most up-to-date information on highway closures.
LWF152 - This wildfire was detected July 16. It is classified as OUT OF CONTROL at 406 ha. There are industrial facilities within a 10 km radius to the wildfires.
A fire ban is in effect as of July 10 in the entire Forest Protection Area of Alberta, including the Lac La Biche Forest Area, due to hot and dry conditions.
Cities, towns, villages and summer villages, as well as federal lands (such as national parks), are exempt from this ban. These jurisdictions have the authority to issue their own bans and may have complementary bans in place.
Visit Alberta Fire Bans to see if a fire ban or restriction is in place in your area.
Under this fire ban:
- All fire permits are suspended or cancelled.
- No new fire permits will be issued.
- Some allowances can be made for essential agricultural and industrial burning, if approved by a forest officer.
Prohibited:
- All outdoor wood fires, including wood campfires on public land, private land, designated campgrounds, and backyard firepits
- Barbeque charcoal briquettes
- Fireworks and exploding targets
Allowed:
- Propane/ natural gas-powered appliances
- Indoor wood fires inside a structure (such as a facility, building, tent or RV) and contained within a device with a chimney and spark arrestor
- Open flame oil devices (such as deep fryers and tiki torches). All devices must be CSA approved and used per manufacturer’s standards.
If you see a wildfire, report it immediately by calling 310-FIRE.
The fire ban will remain in effect until conditions improve.
DRONES are not allowed to be flown within 5 nautical miles (or 9.3 kilometers) of a wildfire.
If you fly a drone within this distance of a wildfire, it immediately halts firefighting operations because it is not safe to be flying with drones in the air. The penalty for interfering with wildfire control operations can land you a court appearance, go to the Government of Alberta website.
For more information from Transport Canada about drones near wildfires, visit Transport Canada's website.
FIRESMART
Your actions today can minimize wildfire damage to your home and property tomorrow. Visit FireSmart Alberta to learn how taking proactive FireSmart measures around your house and yard can increase your property's resistance to wildfire.
Download the Farm and Acreage Guide to Reducing the Risk From Wildfire for additional information.
WILDFIRE INFORMATION
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Download the AB Wildfire Status app, and select the "i" at the bottom to see the most recent update. Sign up to be notified when a new update is published.
Visit Alberta Wildfire for more information on the current wildfire situation.
Visit Alberta Fire Bans to see if there are any fire advisories, fire restrictions or fire bans in effect in your area.
For more information, please contact:
LCX001 Information:
Amy Peltonen
Ontario Fire Information Officer
RELATED INFORMATION
Websites:
- Alberta Wildfire
- Alberta Fire Bans
- FireSmart Alberta
- Alberta Emergency Alerts
- Air Quality Health Index
- Wildfire Smoke and Your Health
- 511 Road Reports
- Emergency Preparation
Social media:
Apps: