May 20, 2023 Update
DO NOT USE DRONES NEAR WILDFIRE ACTIVITY! YOU ARE IMPACTING AERIAL OPERATIONS AND PUTTING PILOTS AND STAFF AT RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH! A drone in the area means we must land all aircraft in the area.
We want to remind everyone that areas in Yellowhead County still have fire activity.
Firefighters and others are operating in these areas. Please be aware and drive responsibly for their safety and yours.
DEEP CREEK COMPLEX INFORMATION STATION
Tara will be hosting an information station Saturday & Sunday, look for the orange wildfire tent at the following locations:
SUNDAY MAY 21, 2023
Peers Fire Hall | 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Wildwood Fire Hall (across street) | 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Niton Junction Gas Stations (Hwy 16) | 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
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- There is currently an Evacuation Order for East of Shining Bank Lake remains in place which was expanded today to North of CN rail line above Niton and east of RR110.
The Evacuation Order is for everyone in the area: North of CN Rail Line above Niton, east of Highway 32, South of Township Rd 570 east to Range Rd 130, south to Township Rd 561, and east of Range Rd 110. Residents in this area need to evacuate. - A Reception Centre is set up in Edson. Evacuees can register at the Reception Centre or call 1-833-334-4630. Reception Centre Hours for May 21st-22nd are 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- An Evacuation Alert was issued on May 16, 2023, for everyone in the area: North of Highway 16 to the CN rail line north of Niton, east of Highway 32 to west of Highway 751 and includes Niton Junction. Residents in this area need to prepare to evacuate.
- Hot, dry, and windy weather in our forecast could cause an increase in wildfire activity. Be prepared with an evacuation plan and gather your important items, documents, pets, food and water in the event of an emergency.
- Structural Protection crews in Yellowhead County have been initiating their system over the last several days and are now prepared to action approximately 100 homes in Yellowhead County. Special flagging of different colours marked ‘SPU’ are set up on these properties to help firefighters identify operations for that property. This is to identify the placement of pumps and structural protection sprinklers. Please do not remove the flagging.
- There are rapid attack crews in place that will respond to any new developments or flare-ups.
Yellowhead County crews are continuing to maintain work throughout the night in the Shiningbank area with increased crews and staggered shifts, as well as continuing to work on other wildfire areas.
Thank you to all those who are a part of battling the wildfires in Yellowhead County. Please be aware of the equipment and crews in the area and let them do their work safely. We thank you for working to protect Yellowhead County.
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Smoke is heavy in the area and is affecting roadway visibility. The smoke is coming from the fires in our area, as well as from fires across the province and in BC. Please remember to turn your headlights on, drive safe, and be cautious of anyone working in the area.
If you’re struggling with the smoke, please visit https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/news/air.aspx for advice related to wildfire smoke. If you have questions specific to your health, call HealthLink at 8-1-1.
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Fire Information from Alberta Wildfire:
The area continues to have limited resources due to these exceptional times. We’re sharing valuable resources with many other wildfires in the province but continue to work on and monitor the following wildfires in our area: WCU001, WCU002, EWF035, EWF031, EWF039, EWF037, EWF040 and new starts that are detected.
Firefighters, aircraft, and heavy equipment have been working in conjunction with county and municipal firefighting services as aggressively as possible to make progress on these wildfires while the conditions have been favorable. Despite all of this hard work, there are still hundreds of kilometers of uncontained wildfire perimeter and fire behaviour forecasts indicate that there will be growth on many of the wildfires throughout the Edson Forest Area.
Fire Southeast of Edson in Yellowhead County (EWF031):
82,666 ha in size
For more information visit srd.web.alberta.ca/Edson-area-update.
Fire from Parkland County into Wildwood Area (WCU001):
7,281 ha in size
For more information visit srd.web.alberta.ca/Edson-area-update.
Fire North of Wildwood (WCU002):
2,400 ha in size
For more information visit srd.web.alberta.ca/Edson-area-update.
Shiningbank Fire (EWF-035):
18,608 ha in size
For more information visit srd.web.alberta.ca/Edson-area-update.
Fire-specific information such as location, size, and perimeter can be found at srd.web.alberta.ca/Edson-area-update.
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Toxic Round Up and Wood Waste During the Current Fires
To help you remove flammable and other toxic materials, the Toxic Roundup is taking place in Edson and Evansburg on May 27 (10 AM – 2 PM).
Yellowhead County does not take wood and flammables at Transfer Stations during a Fire Ban.
Edson and Hinton landfills are taking trees and branches only.
Yellowhead County has alternative sites where you can bring wood products:
- The Nojack Stockpile Site at NW-10-53-11-W5
- The Kokotovich Stockpile Site at SW-10-55-12-W5
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Our Emergency Call Centre will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Call 1-833-334-4630 with any evacuation-related questions.
Call 310-FIRE if you see smoke or flame that looks new and potentially unreported but assume that large columns of smoke and burned-over areas have already been detected and reported. Remember to call 9-1-1 during an emergency, including if you see fire. If in doubt, call 9-1-1.
A FIRE BAN and OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE RESTRICTION is in effect for the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, including the Edson Forest Area. Please help us in the fight against wildfires by doing your part to prevent any new ones.
Information on the provincial funding for evacuees who have been away from their home for more than 7 days (total) can be found at alberta.ca/emergency. If you’re having trouble applying online, call 310-4455.
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View our live-streamed update from 2:00 p.m. today here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=2218257088375440
View our post on protecting your health when it comes to smoke and air quality here: https://www.facebook.com/yellowheadcounty/posts/pfbid0jLQvMudDBZjuX5gptyrhBvvYfhG4WSfrqhdBJ4jxRxa85xzVg1Hg1mdmcSLYokHal. Call 8-1-1 for information specific to your health.
View our post on FireSmarting your property here: https://www.facebook.com/yellowheadcounty/posts/pfbid0eDgxiVeeeFgaipt54jtsBA6hSW2RBrmM1NrmA2ouMJFFqce39pv8b8khiv8qwYvUl
PHOTO: Smoke over the fire camp is very thick, aircraft are landed until visibility improves but our firefighters are out on the line with the heavy equipment (May 20, 2022).
