Rocky Mountain House Area Update

Effective as of 4:00 pm, August 8, a fire ban is no longer in effect, there are currently no fire advisories, restrictions or bans in place for the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area.

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

RCX001 - KISKA COMPLEX (RWF064, RWF063 and RWF062) 

The Kiska Complex is located west (RWF063 and RWF062) and southwest (RWF064) of Nordegg. There is currently no threat to communities from the Kiska Complex wildfires and all started due to lightning in the area.

RWF064 is now classified as BEING HELD which means that this fire is not expected to grow beyond certain boundaries under the current conditions. This wildfire is estimated to be 6,996 ha in size. It is located 12 km northwest of the Ram Falls Provincial Park boundary and 25 km south of Nordegg. 

RWF063 is classified as BEING HELD and is estimated to be 1,962 ha in size. It is located approximately 17 km west of fire RWF062 and 50 km west of Nordegg. This wildfire has shown very little activity throughout the week.

RWF062 is now classified as BEING HELD and is estimated to be 4,936 ha in size. It is located approximately 5 km north of the Crescent Falls Provincial Recreation Area (PRA), 9 km northwest from the Big Horn Reserve and 20 km west of Nordegg.

The total number of personnel is 132 firefighters and support staff, along with 7 helicopters and 7 pieces of heavy equipment assigned to assist with suppression efforts.

The recent cooler temperatures and precipitation aided in minimal fire behaviour and spread. While the rain has ended, moisture in the soil will likely keep fire behaviour low for the next few days. Crews will take advantage of these conditions to make as much progress possible in suppressing the wildfire and reducing further spread.

Firefighters and heavy equipment continue work on building containment lines around the east and south sides of RWF064, maximizing use of natural features in the area. While the recent rain was helpful in the immediate needs, it does bring its challenges to heavy equipment and personnel working conditions. Heavy equipment was able to work overnight to continue progress on containment lines, but firefighters could not due to the significant rainfall and muddy conditions. 

MAPS Public maps for this complex are available, including the RWF062 and RWF063 public map and the RWF064 public map.

SMOKE AND ASH At times, the region may see falling ash and smoky air conditions. 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) closure has been adjusted and the closure is now in effect between the Ram Falls Airport and Township Road 38-3A (Northfork Road). This closure is in place to ensure safety for travelers and personnel working on the wildfire. For the latest road conditions, please check Alberta 511. 

CAMPGROUNDS Alberta Parks has opened Ram Falls Provincial Park, Peppers Lake Provincial Recreation Area (PRA), Peppers Lake Staging Area PRA, Elk Creek PRA Campground, Elk Creek Fish Pond PRA, Alymer PRA and Crescent Falls PRA. While there is still wildfire in the landscape visitors to these areas should visit Park Closures on AlbertaParks.ca for up to date information as the situation can change.

PUBLIC LAND 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 now open. Visit public land closures and advisories for more information. 

This next daily update on the Kiska Wildfire Complex will be provided Monday August 12, 2024 unless the situation changes.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE FOREST AREA UPDATE

Since January 1, 2024, there have been 74 wildfires in the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area, which have burned 13,879 hectares (ha).

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

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 RWF061 are classified as UNDER CONTROL. Both are estimated to be 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. 

RWF072 is classified as UNDER CONTROL and estimated to be 0.15 ha in size. This wildfire is located northwest of Wild Horse Provincial Recreation Area and the cause of this wildfire remains under investigation. This wildfire 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. 

FIRE PREMITS ARE REQUIRED

CAMPFIRE SAFETY

Abandoned campfires account for the highest percentage of human-caused wildfires and are completely preventable. It is extremely important to properly extinguish your campfire before leaving it. Soak it, stir it and soak it again. If your campfire is fully extinguished, you should not feel any heat from the ashes.

Soak it. Stir it. 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 smoulder 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.
  

Human-caused wildfires account for 67% of wildfires. Please do your part to prevent wildfires. If you are found responsible for starting a wildfire, you can be charged, fined and held liable for all costs associated with fighting the wildfire.