Lac La Biche Forest Area Wildfire Update

Visit AB 511 for up-to-date information on road closures in the forest area.

The fire ban has been lifted for most areas in the Lac La Biche Forest Area. However, Fire zone 41 still remains under a fire ban.

If you see smoke or flame in the forest area please call 310-FIRE (3473) to report it.

LAC LA BICHE WILDFIRE UPDATE

The wildfire danger in the Lac La Biche forest area is now HIGH.

Since January 1, 2024, there have been 177 wildfires in the Lac La Biche Forest Area burning a total of 20,487 hectares (ha). There are currently 16 active wildfires in the Lac La Biche Forest Area. Of those, nine are out of control, four are being held and three are under control.

In the last 24-hours crews have been able to extinguish four more wildfires in our area.

To view active wildfires on a map, visit Alberta Wildfire Status.

South African Team

A South African team arrived on the evening of July 30th. They will head up to the Kettle River Wildfire complex to lend a hand.

The South African team heads to their morning debrief at the Kettle River Wildfire Complex (July 31)

Kettle River Complex (LCX001) |LWF164 and LWF152

The Kettle River Complex (LCX001) includes 14 wildfires: LWF101, LWF123, LWF126, LWF136, LWF139, LWF140, LWF141, LWF142, LWF143, LWF152, LWF155, LWF156, LWF159, LWF162, LWF164, LWF168 and LWF175. An Ontario Incident Management Team (IMT) is now committed to managing personnel and resources assigned to the Kettle River Complex of wildfires.

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Newly arrived Australian firefighters enjoyed an impromptu smudging ceremony led by camp stevedore Lorraine Houle, a member of Big Stone Cree Nation from Colling Lake.

While observed fire behaviour remains low and significant suppression has occurred on priority fires in the complex, the fire hazard is recovering following four days of warm, dry weather and lower than forecasted relative humidity values.

A first day on the fireline for 100 newly-arrived international unit crews from Australia and South Africa.

Temperatures will continue to stay in the mid-to-high 20s for much of the day. A cold front is expected to pass through the area this evening offering the best chance to see some rainfall over the next few days. Winds will be westerly at 15-20 km with RH values dipping into the 30 per cent range.

LWF152 -The status of this 474 ha wildfire is OUT OF CONTROL, and it is located approximately 22 km northeast of Conklin and 10 km southeast of Highway 881. This wildfire is in close proximity (10 km radius) to industrial facilities. Operations staff will assess hotspot areas for bucket-equipped helicopters and prepare to place firefighting crews on the south and east sides of the fire. Crews will asses the south side of this fire and use helicopter bucketing operations for hotspots.

LWF159 – The status of this wildfire is OUT OF CONTROL, and it is located in Dillon River Wildland Provincial Park about 12 km east of Winefred Lake No. 194B. This wildfire is approximately 4,294 ha.

LWF164 – The status of this wildfire is OUT OF CONTROL, and it is located approximately 12 km northeast of Conklin and south of Highway 881. This is approximately 1,400 ha. With operations on the west side of Hwy. 881 complete, firefighters are now establishing hoseline on the perimeter of the fire’s northeast ‘finger’. Heavy equipment will continue to establish a dozer guard along the west side of Hwy. 881 and along the northeast corner and southeast perimeter. Nodwell with water tanks will be used to find hotspots and extinguish to 100 feet inside the perimeter on the fire’s northeast corner, as well as to seek out hot spots on the east perimeter.

LWF175 – The status of the wildfire is OUT OF CONTROL. This fire is approximately 125 ha in size and located in Dillon River Wildland Provincial Park, approximately 12 km east of Winefred Lake. Crews flew over the fire area on July 26, to monitor for growth and fire activity.

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SOPFEU firefighters from Quebec extinguish hotspots along the northeastern perimeter of LWF-164, July 30.

There are currently nine wildfires burning out of control in the Lac La Biche Forest Area. View other active wildfires, their locations and stats on the interactive map on our Wildfire Status page.

LWF165 - This wildfire was detected July 17. It is located 20 km south of Crow Lake. This fire is now being managed by the Algar Lake Complex (since July 23). It is classified as BEING HELD and is currently estimated at 1,166 ha.

LWF169 - This wildfire was detected on July 21. It is classified as OUT OF CONTROL at 217 ha. This fire is located 6 km east of industry facility.

LWF154 - This wildfire was detected July 16. It is classified as OUT OF CONTROL at 1,290 ha. This wildfire is located within the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range.

LWF147 - This wildfire was detected July 16. It is classified as OUT OF CONTROL at 6,569 ha. The fire is located approximately 16 km northeast of Heart Lake in the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range.

FIRE BANS

The fire ban has been lifted in most parts of the Lac La Biche Forest Area. A fire ban remains on the fire zone 41 area.

For more information regarding fire bans you can visit Albertafirebans.ca

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CAMPFIRE SAFETY

SOAK IT, STIR IT, AND SOAK IT AGAIN

Let the fire burn down before you plan on putting it out. Spread the embers within the fire pit, then add water or loose dirt, and stir.
Expose any material still burning. Add more water and stir again until you can no longer see smoke or steam. Do not bury your fire as the embers may continue to smolder and can re-emerge as a wildfire.
Repeat until your campfire is cool to the touch.
If your fire is out, you should not be able to feel any heat from the ashes
Alberta wildfire typically sees an increase in human-caused wildfires during long weekends.

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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.

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GET YOUR FREE FIRE PERMIT

All burning within the Forest Protection Area of Alberta requires a fire permit, with the exception of a campfire. You can get your free fire permit by applying online or by contacting the Whitecourt Forest Area office at 780-778-7166.

Please help our staff by planning ahead. As the season gets busy, there may be delays for a forest officer to visit your site. Contact us or submit for your permit online as early as possible to ensure you have your permit for when you need it.

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:

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