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).
Firefighters and a helicopter working on the Long Lake fire. May 31, 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| JUNE 1, 2023 AS OF 12:30 PM
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 | JUNE 1, 2023 AS OF 12:30 PM
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 135,483 hectares.
The fire has been active south of the Cenovus plant and southwest along Bivouac Road. The fire is also active west of Rainbow Lake moving towards the British Columbia border. Heavy equipment such as dozers will be working all day today on containment of the southern edge of this fire.
The northeast guard protecting the community of Chateh continues to hold with no active fire along this edge. In addition,ATCO has restored power to the community of Rainbow Lake and Chateh.
Please be aware that there is still active fire burning in the area and smoke is still visible. Residents are reminded not to enter the fire area due to a large number of firefighters, and equipment working. Burnt trees continue to fall which are dangerous.
Incident Management Teams from Canada, America and Australia are currently working at the Incident Command Post located at the Town of Rainbow Lake airport to support this fire. Please keep out of this area to allow firefighters to continue to do their job.
There are a large numbers of helicopters working in the area, please ensure you keep clear of the airport to allow them to safely operate.
There are currently 226 personnel supporting the Long Lake Fire. Including wildland and structural firefighters, incident management staff and heavy equipment operators. There are also 9 helicopters dedicated to this fire.
Re-entry to the Town of Rainbow Lake will commence at 9am on Friday June 2, 2023. For further information on the re-entry plan, cleaning your refrigerator/freezer, Insurance, cleaning your home, discarding food, mental health support and more, please go to www.rainbowlake.ca.
The community of Chateh remains under an evacuation. Please visit the Dene Tha Facebook page for updates.
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 19 degrees, a relative humidity of 20 percent with west to southwest winds 10-15 km/h gusting to 30 km/h.
THE PASKWA FIRE | HWF030 | JUNE 1, 2023 AS OF 12:30 PM
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 88,094 hectares.
There was some relief from the smoke in Garden River yesterday as good venting conditions had smoke rising straight up. This created visible smoke columns but air quality was improved. Winds were light, and fire behaviour was moderate.
One of the top priorities is to protect the community of Garden River. The area ignited on May 30 and was holding well yesterday. If conditions are favourable, fire specialists will look at completing the planned ignition line later today. The intent is to remove forest fuels in an area between the Peace River and the northeastern edge of the fire to help prevent fire spread north towards the community of Garden River. Crews and helicopters bucketing continue to work along the entire north-northeast perimeter to remove fuels and extinguish hot spots, keeping the fire south of the Peace River.
In Garden River, installation of the high-volume water system and additional sprinkler systems is complete. Today, crews will finish installing an additional water line along the eastern edge of the community. Structural fire fighters remain on standby, ready to respond if needed.
Currently, the most significant on-the-ground fire suppression work is in Fox Lake. Most of the wildland firefighters on the incident are working in the community. Work continues to assess and remove danger trees, and to extinguish 75m perimeters around all structures in the community.
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 Nation Chief and Council, and the Alberta Emergency Management Association to ensure safe access for scheduled community visits by residents as well as for utility and emergency management personnel.
Crews continue work along the southern perimeter, extending the fire guard in the southwest by extinguishing an area 30m (100 ft) wide along the line to prevent fire spread. To the east, beyond the fire guard, ground crews are extinguishing hot spots along the southern perimeter with support from helicopters bucketing.
There are currently 202 personnel supporting the Paskwa Fire response including wildland and structural firefighters, incident management staff, heavy equipment operators, and Paskwa Fire Base support staff, as well as 12 helicopters dedicated to the Paskwa fire. Three additional heavy helicopters have been supporting fire operations over the last few days.
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 21 degrees, a relative humidity of 20 percent, with west winds 15 – 20 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.
