A Fire Advisory remains in effect for the Edson Forest Area.
Alberta Wildfire, Yellowhead County and Parkland County are responding to multiple wildfires in the area.
Dry grass can catch easily and burn quickly. Any spark, hot exhaust or friction can cause a wildfire. Avoid working near or on dry vegetation to help prevent wildfires.
If you see smoke or flame and suspect it’s a wildfire, call 310-FIRE.
ACTIVE WILDFIRES
WCU002 was detected on the evening of April 29 and is a mutual aid wildfire located on both sides of Highway 22, north of Highway 16. The wildfire is currently burning out of control. The wildfire was re-assessed and is now estimated to be 2,386 ha in size. The fire is burning in a mixture of grass, shrub, trees and marsh.
Today, both Yellowhead County and AB Wildfire worked together to contain the spread of the wildfire. A total of 13 pieces of heavy equipment and six helicopters assisted 75 firefighters. Two heavy helicopters bucketed on the south side of the wildfire and plan to continue tomorrow. Tomorrow, additional firefighters will arrive from other forest areas and continue to build and reinforce containment lines around the wildfire. Airtankers are available upon request.
The fire behaviour today was less active then yesterday and majority of the burning occurred within the perimeter and did not significantly grow past the expected boundary. Firefighters have completed containment lines nearly all the way around the perimeter except for a small portion of the southeast side of the fire. Fire behaviour is expected to be similar tomorrow as it was today however the situation is continuously changing.
The winds are expected to increase overnight from the north, possibly pushing the fire towards the south and lighten in the morning. Winds may shift from the southeast pushing the fire towards the north in the afternoon.
Our forest area is expecting dry lighting again tomorrow, we encourage anyone who suspects a wildfire that is not indicated on our app to report it to 310-FIRE.
Perimeter Map:
Note: The wildfire perimeter map is an estimate based on measurements such as GPS, aerial scanning and satellite imagery. This estimated perimeter can change as more accurate measurements become available. Areas within the fire perimeter may not have been affected by wildfire.
EWF021 was detected today and is located in Marlboro. The fire is now classified as under control and estimated to be 8.72 ha in size. Firefighters are on scene extinguishing the wildfire.
EWF015 was detected on April 29 and is located 3.5 km north east of Peers. It is now classified as under control and estimated to be 46.57 ha in size. Peers Area residents evacuated from Township Road 544 can return to their residences. The wildfire did not see very much wildfire behaviour today and no new growth was recorded. A water truck and nine firefighters are associated to this fire.
WCU001 was detected on April 29 and is burning out of control, located approximately 9 km southeast of Evansburg. AB Wildfire is assisting Parkland County. Airtankers worked today along the west and northwest side of the wildfire. Alberta Wildfire also has three helicopters and three dozers assigned to the wildfire. The estimated size is currently 330 ha.
The above wildfires remain under investigation. To learn more about wildfire classifications, click here.
AB Wildfire, Parkland County and Yellowhead County are currently responding to multiple wildfires. For more information, visit our website and click on the interactive map to view active wildfires and their stats on the wildfire dashboard.
We urge everyone in this area to monitor Alberta Emergency Alert. There are evacuation orders and alerts in effect at this time. The municipalities will instruct the public regarding evacuation alerts or orders. To learn more, visit: https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-emergency-alert.aspx
The Yellowhead County evacuation order is currently in place for the affected areas in Yellowhead County. The evacuation order will remain until it is determined that residents can safely return to their homes and there is no risk to residents and other infrastructure.
The Wildwood and Lobstick evacuation zone has been expanded to include the hamlet of Wildwood, as well as areas south of Highway 16, and also north of Chip Lake to Range Road 103 up to Township Road 554. There have now been over 1,100 residents affected by the evacuation. Due to the expansion of the evacuation zone, the reception centre has moved from Wildwood to Edson. Anyone who has evacuated is reminded to register at the reception centre (1021 49 St. in Edson) or call 1-833-334-4630.
For updates from Parkland County and evacuation information, please visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ParklandCountyAB. Residents in the affected areas can contact the Emergency Information Line at 1-780-968-8888.
For road closure information, please visit: https://511.alberta.ca/#:Alerts
If you have smoke related health concerns, please contact AB 811 click here for more information.