Whitecourt Forest Area Wildfire Update

The wildfire danger for the Whitecourt Forest Area is VERY HIGH. Forest fuels are dry and pose a very serious fire risk. Please use caution when recreating outdoors.

Wildfires can still start in cooler weather, especially in dry and windy conditions. Always use caution in forested areas.

A FIRE ADVISORY remains in effect for the Whitecourt Forest Area.

For a map of the restriction boundary, visit AlbertaFireBans.ca.

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FIRE ADVISORY IN EFFECT

A fire advisory is in effect for the Whitecourt Forest Areas. Although the fire danger is LOW across much of southern Alberta, this fire advisory is in place as a precautionary measure. There will likely be a cured grass hazard by the weekend.

Under this advisory:

Existing fire permits remain valid, but extension requests may not be granted.
New permits will be issued on a case-by-case basis.
Campfires are allowed in both designated campgrounds and random camping areas.
Fireworks and exploding targets are prohibited.

We encourage any landowners who have done burning over the winter and that have had past fire permits to revisit the burn location to ensure these fires are fully extinguished.

The fire advisory will remain in effect until conditions improve or further escalation is required.

Stay informed on fire restrictions and fire bans in your area by checking www.albertafirebans.ca.

If you see a wildfire, report it immediately by calling 310-FIRE.

Never leave a campfire unattended. Soak it, stir it and soak it again until cool to the touch to ensure it is extinguished.

SMOKE IN THE AREA

Smoke is present in the area as a weather system moves into the province. A majority of the smoke is from British Columbia. Their larger carry-over fires from the 2023 season have become active again. There is smoke present from other wildfires in the Grande Prairie and Fort McMurray Forest Areas.

To see forecasted smoke, you can visit firesmoke.ca

For air quality information across the province you can visit airquality.alberta.ca/map

WHITECOURT FOREST AREA UPDATE

Since January 1st, 2024, there have been 21 wildfires in the Whitecourt forest area burning a total of 19 hectares (ha).

There is currently ONE active wildfire in the Whitecourt Forest Area.

WWF021 - Was first detected at 3:06 p.m. on May 9. The wildfire is located 9.1 km Northwest of the town of Whitecourt. This fire is located with in the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation.

The WWF-021 is now classified as UNDER CONTROL and has burned approximately 2.5 hectares of land. AB wildfire worked in collaboration with the Alexis Nakota fire hall and Woodland County to quickly extinguish the fire.

Firefighters will continue to monitor this wildfire until they are confident it's fully extinguished. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

LOCATIONS: To view this wildfire on our interactive map, click here and follow the active wildfire link.

EVACUATION PREPARDNESS

Are you prepared in case of an evacuation? In the event of an evacuation, individuals and families should be prepared to take care of themselves for at least 72 hours.

Find out what you need to do this wildfire season to be prepared. Click here for more information.

For the most up-to-date information about evacuations you can visit alberta.ca/alberta-emergency-alert.

For any road closures or impacted highways click here.

EXTINGUISHMENT OF WWF023

As of May 7th, 2024, WWF023 a carry-over wildfire from the 2023 fire season has officially been extinguished.

WWF023 was first detected on May 5th, 2023, by Eagle tower Road and was 15.7 KM NE of the town of Fox Creek.

This fire was caused by lighting and was fought by crews for 367 days. WWF023 burned a total of 66,436.70 hectares of land.

Alberta Wildfire firefighters performed patrols and extinguished hotspots throughout the winter. Once the snow melted and conditions allowed, extensive high level heat scans were conducted using aircraft.

Dozens of firefighters from Canada, the United States of America and beyond worked on this fire and we are filled with immense gratitude and are grateful for all those who lent a hand in extinguishing this fire.

Our focus continues to be the safety of our residents as we move into this year’s wildfire season.

We encourage the public to look for opportunities to protect their properties from wildfire, your efforts can help protect your homes and help protect our first responders.

FireSmart is more than a collection of best-practices, programs, resources, and tools. FireSmart is a way of living with and managing the risk of wildfire. It is a shared responsibility between government, community leaders, neighbourhoods, and residents. Together, we can build a wildfire resilient Alberta. A FireSmart Alberta.

For more information on the current wildfire situation, visit Alberta Wildfire Status or download the AB Wildfire Status app for Apple and Android.

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CAMPFIRE SAFETY

SOAK IT, STIR IT, AND 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 smolder 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.

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OHV SAFETY

When operating equipment, clear debris from moving parts, check your muffler and keep equipment in good repair. Do not operate equipment in tall grass. Keep watch of your surroundings and ensure you have sufficient firefighting equipment and water available. Equipment fires or work-related sparks, friction and hot exhaust can cause even small amounts of dry vegetation to ignite into a wildfire.

If you see a wildfire, report it immediately by calling 310-FIRE.

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FIRESMART

Your actions today can minimize wildfire damage to your home and property tomorrow. Visit the new FireSmart Alberta site to learn how taking proactive FireSmart measures around your house and yard can increase your property's resistance to wildfire.

Download the Farm and Acreage Guide to Reducing the Risk From Wildfire for additional information.

For more information, please contact:

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