Rocky Mountain House Area Update

The wildfire danger across the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area is high. This means forest fuels are dry and fire risk is serious. Moderate to vigorous surface fire is expected, which may spread to treetops. Conditions may be challenging for fire suppression efforts.

If you see smoke or flame and suspect that it is a new wildfire, please call 310-FIRE (3473). 9-1-1 calls are for immediate emergency calls.

Rocky Mountain House Forest Area Wildfire Update

Since January 1, 2024, there have been 65 wildfires in the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area, which have burned 2,466.19 hectares (ha). 

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

RWF-064 remains classified as out of control. This wildfire is northwest of the Ram Falls Provincial Park and approximately 30 km southwest of Nordegg. This wildfire is estimated at 320 ha in size. A wildfire assessor will be out early today. There are 34 firefighters at scene with support from heavy equipment to establish a dozer guard around the fire. Due to the heavy smoke, air operations will return when possible and effective. 

• Update: The Forestry Trunk Road (highway 734) at township road 38-3A for south bound traffic and at township road 36-2 for north bound traffic is open. Follow Alberta 511 for current road conditions.

RWF-062 remains classified as being held. This wildfire is currently 13 kilometers northwest of the Crescent Falls Provincial Recreation Area and 30 km west of Nordegg. This wildfire is now estimated to be 1,070 ha in size. There are trail closures the Wapiabi Public Recreation Area, visit the Wapiapi Provincial Recreation Area page for more information.  

RWF-063 remains classified as being held. This wildfire is 50 km west of Nordegg. This wildfire is now estimated to be 1,065 ha in size. 

The locations of RWF-062 and RWF-063 are within the forest management plan, which identifies areas that will benefit from wildfires for forest rejuvenation. Given the location, the plan for these wildfires is to manage, continuously assess and monitor their progress and firefighters will action if required.

RWF-060 and RWF 061 both remain classified as being held. These wildfires are northwest of Nordegg. Both of these wildfires are 0.10 ha in size. These wildfires were both determined to be caused by lightning. 

RWF-065 is under control, located approximately 15 kilometers southwest from the Brazeau River Public Recreation Area. This wildfire is currently be 0.01 ha in size. This wildfire was detected on July 25, and the cause remains under investigation. 

RWF-058 remains classified as under control, located southwest of the Brazeau Reservoir PRA. This wildfire is currently 0.10 ha in size. This wildfire was detected on July 21, and the cause remains under investigation. 

Smoke can be seen from many places within the forest area. There are no immediate threats to any communities at this time. 

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

Visit wildfire status definitions for more information. 

Visit fire danger to learn more about how conditions are expected to influence fire behaviour in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta.

Smoke Conditions in the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area 

There is an air quality advisory in place for the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area. Wildfire smoke is causing or expected to cause very poor air quality and reduced visibility. Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour. For additional information:

• Daily Air Quality Index.
• FireSmoke has an interactive forecast that provides hourly, daily average and daily maximum concentration of smoke particles from wildfires.

Wildfire Dashboard

The locations and details of all active wildfires in Alberta are available on the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard. This is a great resource to get the most up-to-date information and important statistics like the number of wildfires in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, their sizes, locations and more.

You can also download the Alberta Wildfire App for Apple and Android.

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.

A fire ban remains in effect for the entire Forest Protection Area of Alberta, including the Rocky Mountain House 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.

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 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.