The fire danger is LOW. This means that a wildfire can still ignite but is not expected to spread to deeper vegetation layers or larger fuels, such as trees.
To report smoke or flame in the forest please call 310-FIRE (3473).
Leaves are changing and cooler temperatures are here but the wildfire risk is always there. Always remember to fully extinguish your campfire.
WHITECOURT FOREST AREA UPDATE
Since January 1, 2024, there have been 62 wildfires in the Whitecourt Forest Area burning a total of 30 hectares (ha). At this time, there are no active wildfires in the Whitecourt Forest Area.
PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE UPDATE
Since January 1, there have been 1,173 wildfires recorded in the Forest Protection Area (FPA) that have burned 708,539 hectares. There are currently 54 active wildfires in the FPA. Of these wildfires, 6 are being held and 48 are under control.
For the most up-to-date wildfire information, visit the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.
FIRESMART THIS FALL
You can reduce the risk of wildfires to your home at all times of the year. Here are some practices you can do this fall to lessen the risk of wildfires in the spring.
1. Clean up debris on your property.
- Pine needles, leaves, and other vegetation can dry out and become at risk of embers.
- By removing dry and dead debris in areas under decks and gutters around the home you can lessen the risk.
2. Prune trees and shrubs around your home.
- Prune any trees within the ten meter zone of your home and trim branches two meters from the ground up.
- Trim shrubs in the ten meter zone.
- Remove any dead vegetation or brush that can easily ignite.
3. Maintain the landscape around your home.
- Add fire resistant plants around your home and remove plants like Juniper, Cedar, Pine or Spruce if at all possible.
- Remove Mulch around home as it is dry and highly flammable for ember transfer if a wildfire is nearby. Use gravel or rocks to landscape instead of mulch.
4. Nearby firewood storage.
- It is recommended to store firewood ten meters from the home.
For more information on how you can protect your property this fall you can visit FireSmart Alberta
HUNTING SEASON
As temperatures drop and more people venture into the forest on hunting trips you may want to start a warming or cooking fire. We hope that you keep campfire safety tips at the top of your mind while you enjoy the outdoors.
In the backcountry or where there is no dedicated fire ring you can make a safe campfire by:
- making a circle about one metre around
- digging or scraping down to the mineral soil
- clearing away any flammable materials within one metre of the pit
When extinguishing campfires always remember to soak it, stir it and soak it again.
Safe campfires: Wildfire prevention tips
GET YOUR FREE FIRE PERMIT
Until October 31, all burning activities in the Forest Protection Area, excluding campfires, require a fire permit.
Fire permits ensure safe burning practices and allow staff to know where burning is approved so firefighters and aircraft are free to fight wildfires. Your municipality may have its own rules and restrictions in place. Contact them for further details.
To get your free fire permit you can phone your local forestry office in Whitecourt at 780-778-7153 or apply online.
GET YOUR HARVEST PERMIT
Personal Use Forest Products Permits are for small-scale personal use only (no resale) for Christmas trees, firewood or transplants. These free permits are available online or in person at your nearest forestry office.
PUFPPs authorize Albertans to cut and removed timber from designated Crown land only. The area-specific PUFPP document must be with you at all times while cutting or transporting trees from Crown land. In one 30-day period, a person can hold up to 4 permits – up to one permit each for: firewood, Christmas trees, roundwood and transplants.
LOCAL WILDFIRE INFORMATION
Subscribe to Whitecourt Forest Area updates to receive an email notification when new information is posted.
Download the Alberta Wildfire App for Apple or Android devices. Once you open the app, click the "i" icon at the bottom left to view the latest forest area updates.
For more information, please contact:
RELATED INFORMATION
Websites:
- Alberta Wildfire
- Alberta Fire Bans
- FireSmart Alberta
- Alberta Emergency Alerts
- Air Quality Health Index
- Wildfire Smoke and Your Health
- 511 Road Reports
- Emergency Preparation
Social media:
Apps: