The wildfire danger is very high in the High Level Forest Area. The fire ban and off-highway vehicle restriction remain in effect. To report a wildfire please call 310-FIRE(3473).
The heavy helicopter working on the Paskwa fire works to cool down hotspots. May 28, 2023.
VOULUNTEER INFORMATION
Volunteers, equipment owners/operators or firefighters looking to assist with these wildfires or any of the wildfires within the province can contact EmergencySupportOffers@gov.ab.ca.
HIGH LEVEL FOREST AREA WILDFIRE UPDATE| MAY 29, 2023 AS OF 11:00 AM
There are five wildfires in the High Level Forest Area. Of these fires, two are classified as out of control (OC) and three are under control (UC). To see a map of the wildfires in the High Level Forest Area and across the province please click here.
THE LONG LAKE FIRE | HWF036 | MAY 29, 2023 AS OF 11:00 AM
This fire is located in the vicinity of the Town of Rainbow Lake. This wildfire is classified as out of control (OC) with a last recorded size of 134,574 hectares.
With the return of warmer temperatures, the fire has seen an increase in fire activity. Most of the fire activity observed yesterday was on the west side and on the northeast side. There were green islands of unburnt forest burning within the fire perimeter. As of this update, this wildfire is approximately 10 km from the community of Chateh.
Firefighters, heavy equipment and aircraft continue to reinforce the east side guard to prevent spread to the community of Chateh and other infrastructure. In addition, crews and heavy equipment have begun working on the southwest side.
Firefighters’ top priority is the safety of the Town of Rainbow Lake, the community of Chateh and oil and gas and energy infrastructure. Wildland firefighters and wildland urban interface crews continue to monitor and patrol properties and the structures within the Town of Rainbow Lake, the community of Chateh and the Silver Tip Open camp until evacuation orders are rescinded, power lines re-energized and communications are re-established.
There are 109 firefighters, nine helicopters and heavy equipment working on the Long Lake Fire. Structural protection crews will continue protecting structures within the area as the wildfire situation evolves.
The Town of Rainbow Lake has an evacuation order in place.
Dene Tha First Nation has an evacuation order in place for the community of Chateh.
Please stay informed by downloading the Alberta Emergency Alert mobile app or by visiting their website.
Weather Forecast | Long Lake Fire
Today the forecast is as follows, a temperature of 16 degrees, a relative humidity of 35 percent with west winds 15 km/h gusting to 30 km/h.
THE PASKWA FIRE | HWF030 | MAY 29, 2023 AS OF 11:00 AM
The Paskwa fire is located in the community of Fox Lake and was detected on May 2, 2023. This fire is classified as Out of Control (OC) and the last recorded size is 78,125 hectares.
Yesterday, winds picked up in the afternoon leading to extreme fire behaviour on parts of the fire. Similar weather and fire conditions are expected over the next few days.
The Paskwa Fire is most active along the eastern perimeter. Yesterday afternoon, gusting west winds and dry conditions led to extreme fire behaviour in the northeast part of the fire. The fire traveled at least 4 km (2.5 miles) east. Four heavy helicopters bucketed throughout the afternoon to slow fire spread in the northeast.
As the fire moves east, the priority is to maintain the northern perimeter to protect the community of Garden River. Yesterday, a plan to ignite an additional area on the northeastern edge of the fire was discussed with members of the community. This would remove fuel ahead of the fire to limit it from moving north and across the Peace River. Fire specialists will assess the fire and weather conditions, to determine if ignition is an option for today. A structural protection plan was also presented to community members. Crews will begin to install high power sprinkler systems in the community of Garden River today. Smoke will continue to affect Garden River and air quality is currently poor.
In Fox Lake, work continues to assess and remove dangerous trees, and to extinguish 76m perimeters around all structures in the community. Yesterday afternoon, danger tree work had to stop as gusting winds posed a risk to crews falling trees. There are still many hot spots throughout the community, often burning deep in the ground. Due to the continued dry conditions, smoke is being seen from these hotspots. With those and other fire-related dangers, the area is still not safe for residents to return. The Incident Management Team is working closely with Little Red River Cree Nations’ Chief and Council, and the Alberta Emergency Management Association to maintain a safe route for residents to have escorted visits to the community in the coming days.
A top priority is keeping the Paskwa Fire south of the Peace River. Fire crews continue to monitor for fire activity along the Peace River and respond with ground crews and helicopter support as required. Yesterday, helicopters responded to several hot spots along the south side of the river.
Crews continue work along the southwest perimeter, extending the fire guard by extinguishing an area 30m wide along the line to prevent fire spread.
There are currently 168 personnel supporting the Paskwa Fire response including wildland and structural firefighters, incident management staff, and Paskwa Fire Base support staff, as well as 11 helicopters and heavy equipment dedicated to the Paskwa fire.
Little Red River Cree Nation has an evacuation order in place for the community of Fox Lake. The community of Garden River remains on an evacuation alert. For information regarding the evacuation, please stay informed by visiting the Little Red River Cree Nation’s Facebook page.
Weather Forecast | Paskwa Fire
Today the forecast is as follows, a high of 20 degrees, a relative humidity of 30 percent, with west winds 20 km/h gusting 40 km/h.
WILDFIRE SMOKE ISSUES
Smoke from wildfires may hang low to the ground at night and into the early morning due to temperature inversions. A temperature inversion is when warm air “caps” cooler air, causing smoke to be trapped in valley bottoms at night and into the early morning. The trapped smoke generally begins to lift after the sun rises and heats the earth’s surface. Inversions can be very dangerous for road conditions and surrounding communities. Visibility can be limited.
If you see smoke that is causing safety concerns to road conditions, please report to Alberta 511. Individuals experiencing smoke related health issues can contact Alberta Health. To see a map showing the smoke forecast please click here.
FIRE BAN AND OHV RESTRICTION IN EFFECT
A fire ban and OHV restriction is in effect within the High Level Forest Area due to extreme fire danger. The fire ban and OHV restriction will remain in effect until conditions improve.
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.
DO NOT FLY DRONES NEAR WILDFIRES!
The use of recreational drones over wildfires in Alberta is dangerous, illegal and could result in a fine of up to $15,000* for putting aircraft and people at risk. Please give Alberta firefighters the space they need to do their jobs safely.
*Transport Canada
ALBERTA STATE OF EMERGENCY
A provincial state of emergency has been declared. Albertans who require assistance can call 310-4455 for wildfire related information.
Preparing in advance can keep you safe and comfortable, and help you get back to your normal life and work more quickly. It also helps others because emergency responders can focus on helping those who need it the most.
Connect with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-422-9000
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Download the Alberta Wildfire app today and get access to accurate, real-time information on wildfires in your area. You can also find information on fire advisories, restrictions and bans across the province and much more all on your mobile device. Available forAppleandAndroid.
Before heading out, please checkalbertafirebans.cato determine whether there are any fire advisories, fire restrictions or fire bans in effect for your destination.
Volunteers, equipment owners/operators or firefighters looking to assist with these wildfires or any of the wildfires within the province can contact EmergencySupportOffers@gov.ab.ca.
There are multiple EVACUATION ORDERS & ALERTS in the Province. Please visitAlberta Emergency Alertsor your community webpage for more information.
TheNASA FIRMS Fire Information websiteis a great resource to give an idea of the location of wildfires in the area, but it should be noted that this data is based on interpolation and often can make a wildfire appear larger than it actually is.
Wildfire smoke is a tool used for the location of smokefiresmoke.ca
To see all the wildfires burning in Alberta click here.
