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.

With the August Long Weekend right around the corner, Alberta Wildfire would like to remind anyone heading out to our forested areas to be responsible.

Many areas of the province are under fire advisories, restrictions, and bans. Make sure to check the area you are going to ensure fires are permitted and be prepared if they are not. Propane fire pits are still allowed during a fire ban but wood burning fires are not.

The wildfire danger is growing in the province so be on high alert. If you are having a campfire, never leave it unattended and ensure it is fully extinguished before you leave.

To report wildfires in the province’s forested areas, call 310-FIRE.

LAC LA BICHE WILDFIRE UPDATE

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

Since January 1, 2024, there have been 179 wildfires in the Lac La Biche Forest Area burning a total of 20,371 hectares (ha). There are currently 15 active wildfires in the Lac La Biche Forest Area. Of those, five are out of control, eight are being held and two are under control.

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

Kettle River Complex (LCX001) |LWF164 and LWF152

The Kettle River Complex (LCX001) includes nine wildfires: LWF123, LWF126, LWF136, LWF141, LWF152, LWF156, LWF159, LWF164 and LWF175. An Ontario Incident Management Team (IMT) is now committed to managing personnel and resources assigned to the Kettle River Complex of wildfires.

Two Kettle River Complex priority fires have changed status within the past 24 hours:

LWF164, a 1,400 ha fire, approximately 12 km northeast of Conklin, is now BEING HELD.
LWF152, a 474 ha priority fire, approximately 22 kilometres east/northeast of Conklin, has undergone a status change to BEING HELD.

An infra-red scan was performed overnight by a drone on LWF152. Crews will focus on hotspot targets identified by those scans.

A cooler day is in store for the Kettle River Complex with temperatures reaching a high of 22 degrees and slight chance of light showers in the evening. Winds will be from the south and southeast at 10 km/hr.

A SOPFEU (Quebec) firefighter looks for hotspots on LWF164, Aug. 2.

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.

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.

A helicopter aims to fill its fire-fighting bucket at a water source, near LWF164, Aug. 2.

There are currently five 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 BEING HELD at 217 ha. This fire is located 6 km east of industry facility.

LWF154 - This wildfire was detected July 16. It is classified as BEING HELD 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 BEING HELD 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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