Whitecourt Area Update

ACTIVE WILDFIRES 

As of 8:00 p.m. today there were 86 active wildfires in the province; 23 of them were classified out of control. To date the province has responded to 497 wildfires that have consumed more than 938,000 hectares of land.

Smoke obscures the view from the Berland Lookout Tower on Saturday May 20, 2023. 

Eagle Complex WCX001 (WWF023, GPF027)

All new information will be bolded.

WWF023 detected on May 5, is burning out of control at 77,599 ha. Containment lines north of the Town of Fox Creek continue to hold. 

Smoky conditions did not allow for aerial operations today across the Eagle Complex. However, the cover provided by the smoke did contribute to a reduction in the intensity of fire behaviour today allowing firefighters on the ground and heavy equipment operators to make progress in building and reinforcing containment lines around the wildfires.

Crews in the Iosegun Lake area patrolled the established fire guard attacking hotspots while firefighters working west of Highway 43 moved in from the north and south ends making good progress with pumps and hose.

Alberta has 40 firefighters and support personnel allocated to this fire along with a structural protection unit and the Fox Creek Fire Department. Partners from other jurisdictions include Helitack crew members from Oregon, 20 Colorado-based firefighters, soldiers from 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, and a 19 member unit crew from New Brunswick.

There are currently 1 light, 6 intermediate, 5 medium and 2 heavy helicopters assigned to the Eagle Complex; the heavy helicopters are dedicated to bucketing operations. Heavy equipment operators continued their efforts.

Additionally, three structural groups from municipalities in the Alberta Wildland Urban Interface Fire Structure Protection Program have been working together on structural protection for the community.

Meteorologists with Alberta Wildfire have indicated precipitation and cooler temperatures are in the forecast for the region early next week. The cooler conditions will help to decrease fire danger levels and allow firefighters to further expand on gains already made in containing wildfires in the area.

Existing lines to the north and west of town continue to hold with no significant growth towards the community of Fox Creek. 

Today, SE winds are expected for the balance of the day. the winds are projected to blow from a NW direction tomorrow. 

GWF-027 was detected on May 13 and is out of control at 54, 273 ha. Whitecourt Forest Area is responsible for managing this wildfire as of May 18 and will update information on this page. For information up to May 17, please refer to Grande Prairie Forest Area updates here. 

OTHER AREA ACTIVE WILDFIRES 

WWF029 was detected the afternoon of May 15 and is classified being held at approximately 0.26 ha. Alberta Wildfire has two ground crews and two helicopters on site monitoring.

WWF026 was detected on the afternoon of May 12 and is classified as under control at 0.05 ha. It is currently on patrol status with crews monitoring.

WWF024 was detected on May 6 and is under control at 3 ha. Alberta Wildfire will continue working to extinguish the fire. A dozer guard has been constructed by industry personnel.

FIRE BAN AND OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE RESTRICTION NOW IN EFFECT

Under this fire ban:

• All existing Fire Permits are suspended (or cancelled)
• No new Fire Permits will be issued

Prohibited:

• All outdoor wood fires are banned, including wood campfires on public lands, wood campfires on private land and provincial campgrounds
• Backyard firepits
• BBQ charcoal briquettes
• The use of fireworks and exploding targets
• The recreational use of off-highway vehicles (OHV) on public lands, including designated OHV trails

Allowed:

• Propane/natural gas-powered appliances
• Open flame oil devices (e.g., turkey deep fryers, tiki torches)
• Indoor wood fires contained within a device with a chimney and spark arrestor
• All appliances must be CSA approved and used per manufacturer’s standards
• Indigenous people when using an OHV for traditional purposes. Traditional purposes are hunting, fishing, and trapping – including the use of an OHV to travel to the location(s) for these purposes
• Essential industry-related activities requiring the use of OHVs
• Off-highway vehicle use is still permitted on private lands

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

The fire ban will remain in effect until conditions improve.

780-778-7166 if this line is unavailable please call 780-778-7153

General Information Related to Alberta Wildfire or Fire Bans, Restrictions, or Advisories

1-866-FYI-FIRE

General/Other Forestry Related Questions

780-778-7153