Rocky Mountain House Area Update

A fire ban is in effect for the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area.

The forest area may experience heavy smoke over communities at times. Contact 811 for wildfire and smoke-related health concerns.

If you see smoke or flame in the forest and suspect it's a wildfire, call 310-FIRE.

Airtankers are supporting active wildfires in the Rocky Mountain Forest Area (August 3, 2024).

RCX001 - KISKA COMPLEX (RWF064, RWF063 and RWF062) 

The Kiska Complex is located west (RWF063 and RWF062) and southwest (RWF064) of Nordegg. All of the wildfires in this complex were caused by lightning. 

RWF064 remains classified as OUT OF CONTROL and is 12 km northwest of the Ram Falls Provincial Park boundary and 25 km south of Nordegg. This wildfire is now estimated to be 6,996 ha in size.

RWF063 is classified as BEING HELD which means that means this fire is not expected to grow beyond certain boundaries under the current conditions. It is located approximately 17 km west of fire RWF062 and 50 km west of Nordegg. This wildfire is estimated to be 1,962 ha in size. This wildfire has shown very little activity throughout the week.

RWF062 is classified as OUT OF CONTROL and is located approximately 5 km north of the Crescent Falls Provincial Recreation Area (PRA), 9 km northwest from the Bighorn First Nation and 20 km west of Nordegg. This wildfire is now estimated to be 4,936 ha in size.

There are 39 firefighters, seven helicopters and 38 pieces of heavy equipment assigned to the Kiska Complex to support suppression efforts. 

Firefighters and heavy equipment worked throughout the day to begin building containment lines along the eastern perimeter of RWF064 where it crossed the Forestry Trunk Road. Helicopters are supporting suppression efforts with strategic bucketing operations. Due to unfavorable weather conditions, airtankers were not effective today but will be requested if conditions allow. Heavy equipment will continue operations overnight working to reinforce the containment lines that were established throughout the day and focusing on utilizing natural features to limit spread.

Some parts of the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area observed brief, intermittent rain and thunderstorms throughout the day. RWF064 and RWF062 received no significant precipitation, both are expected to receive rain beginning on Sunday and continuing throughout the week. 

Expand (click) to view the full public map of RWF064.

Expand (click) to view the full public map of RWF062 and RWF063.

WEATHER FORECAST Tomorrow is calling for a high of 17C with 80% relative humidity. Winds from the northeast 10-15 km/h are expected with a chance of rain. 

SMOKE AND ASH People in the region may see falling ash. It is likely that smoke columns may be visible throughout the day as hot and dry conditions persist. To see forecasted smoke, please visit FireSmoke.ca. If you have smoke related health concerns, please visit or contact Alberta 811.

ROAD CLOSURE The Forestry Trunk Road (Highway 40) is closed between Highway 11 and Highway 752 due to the the proximity of RWF064 and heavy smoke causing dangerous driving conditions. For the latest road conditions, please check Alberta 511. This closure is in place to ensure safety for travelers.

CAMPGROUND CLOSURES Alberta Parks has implemented closures for Ram Falls Provincial Park, Peppers Lake Provincial Recreation Area (PRA), Peppers Lake Staging Area PRA, Alymer PRA, Elk Creek PRA Campground, Elk Creek Fish Pond PRA and Crescent Falls PRA. Visit Park Closures on AlbertaParks.ca for more information. 

PUBLIC LAND CLOSURES Due to the locations of RWF062 and RWF063 and the safety of the public, the Wapiabi Provincial Recreation Area and the Southern portion of the Blackstone/Wapiabi Public Land Use Zone, and the northwest portion of the Kiska/Wilson Public Land Use Zone are closed. Visit public land closures and advisories for more information. 

Expand (click) to view the full public closure map.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE FOREST AREA UPDATE

Since January 1, 2024, there have been 71 wildfires in the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area, which have burned 13,878.89 hectares (ha).

There are currently six active wildfires in the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area. 

RWF068 is classified as EXTINGUISHED estimated to be 1.21 ha in size. This wildfire is located 13 km west of Nordegg and the cause of this wildfire remains under investigation. 

RWF067 is classified as UNDER CONTROL and estimated to be 0.50 ha in size. This wildfire is located within the Brazeau Canyon Wildland Provincial Park and the cause of this wildfire remains under investigation. This wildfire will be monitored for activity and actioned if required. 

RWF060 and RWF 061 remain classified as UNDER CONTROL. These wildfires are northwest of Nordegg and both are 0.01 ha in size. These wildfires were detected on July 22, and both were caused by lightning. These wildfires will be monitored for activity and actioned if required. 

For the most up-to-date wildfire information, visit the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.  

Visit wildfire status definitions for more information. 

WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS  

• Staying informed during emergencies can save your life. Protect yourself and your loved ones by downloading the Alberta Emergency Alert app to receive critical, life-saving alerts.
• You can also find out more information by contacting your community directly to find out where they post updated information during emergencies.
• Before you travel, check Alberta 511 for current road conditions to help you arrive to your destination safely.
• Visit FireSmart Alberta to learn more about the wildland-urban interface and how you can protect your home, neighbourhood or community from wildfire. 

A fire ban is in place for the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area south of the Pembina River, due to dry conditions and expected weather. Please refer to Alberta Fire Bans for a detailed map.  

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.

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 (3473). The fire ban and restriction will remain in effect until conditions improve.

Stay up to date by visiting Alberta Fire Bans website or downloading the application onto your smartphone: Apple or Android. 

LONG WEEKEND MESSAGE

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. To report wildfires in the province’s forested areas, call 310-FIRE (3473).