Whitecourt Forest Area Wildfire Update

The wildfire danger across the Whitecourt Forest Area is LOW. If a wildfire were to occur it is not expected to spread to deeper vegetation layers or larger fuels, such as trees due to the recent and ongoing rainfall.

Due to recent rainfall and cooler conditions the FIRE RESTRICTION was removed on August 8 at 4:oo pm. There are currently no fire bans, restrictions or advisories for the Whitecourt Forest Area within the Forest Protection Area. For more information please visit Alberta Fire Bans.

To report wildfires please call 310-FIRE (3473).

WHITECOURT FOREST AREA UPDATE

Since January 1, 2024, there have been 55 wildfires in the Whitecourt Forest Area burning a total of 29 hectares (ha).

There are two active wildfires in the Whitecourt Forest Area but they are under control.

WWF044 was discovered July 16, and is located east of Fox Creek. It is 1 ha in size and is classified as under control. This means the wildfire is completely contained and will be extinguished. This wildfire was caused by lightning.

WWF043 was discovered July 16, and is located approximately 14 kilometers northwest of the Virginia Hills Road and Hope Creek Road intersection. It is 8.5 ha in size and is classified as under control. The cause of this wildfire remains under investigation.

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

PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE UPDATE

Since January 1, there have been 1,042 wildfires recorded in the Forest Protection Area that have burned 604,275 hectares (ha). There are currently 115 active wildfires in the Forest Protection Area. Of these wildfires, 13 are classified as out of control, 38 are classified as being held and 64 are under control.

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

FirePermitOnline

FIRE PERMITS

You will need a fire permit for any burning in the Forest Protection Area, with the exception of a campfire, until October 31.

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.

Visit Alberta.ca or call the Whitecourt Forestry office at 780-778-7153 to get your free fire permit.

FIRESMART

As most of us live in the Wildland Urban Interface it is up to us to ensure that our homes are protected while living in the forested areas of Alberta. There are small practices that you can do to protect your home from a wildfire.

The FireSmart Home Ignition Zone can get you started as your walk around your property identifying potential improvements you can make to the landscape. To find out more about FireSmart practices you can visit FireSmart Alberta.

Wildfire Dashboard

WILDFIRE DASHBOARD

The location and details of all active wildfires in Alberta is 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.

For more information, please contact:

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