Whitecourt Forest Area Wildfire Update

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).

We are now recruiting wildland crew members and crew leaders/subleaders. Apply below!

RECRUITMENT

We want wildland firefighters to join our team for the 2025 wildfire season! Applications are now live on our website.

If you're interested in being a crew member please visit the crew member posting. If being a crew leader/subleader interests you please visit the crew leader/subleader posting.

The closing date for crew members is November 30 and the crew leaders/subleader applications will remain open until suitable candidates are found.

Having local members from the community on our team is very valuable. Knowledge of the terrain, local communities, and backcountry areas are an asset for any candidate interested in applying.

Not sure where to start? The video below describes what a typical day could look like as a wildland firefighter working for Alberta Wildfire.

Every person on a crew will need to pass the WFX-FIT Test in 14:30 minutes or less to be accepted in the next stage of the interview process. This video below demonstrates what you will experience when you take the fitness test yourself!

While it can be an intense process, being a firefighter and helping Albertans every summer is very rewarding. Apply today!

For more information visit the recruitment page on our website.

WHITECOURT FOREST AREA WILDFIRE UPDATE

Since January 1, 2024, there have been 64 wildfires in the Whitecourt Forest Area burning a total of 30 hectares (ha).

PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE UPDATE

Since January 1, there have been 1,183 wildfires recorded in the Forest Protection Area (FPA) that have burned 708,541 hectares. There are currently 52 active wildfires in the FPA. Of these wildfires, 7 are being held and 45 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:

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