Photo courtesy of Alberta Wildfire

The east and west side of the fire saw minimal activity yesterday due to the lighter winds and high relative humidity. These conditions aided firefighters on continuing to make great progress in all priority areas. Firefighters are looking for opportunity to do an ignition operation on the west side if conditions allow. Windy conditions did not allow them to yesteday. 

Due to the Southwest winds smoky conditions are expected for the Town of High Level, Fort Vermilion, Rocky Lane and surrounding communities to the east.

On the east side of the fire, west of La Crete, areas of the fire continue to burn in very deep areas of peat moss, which continues to create some challenges for firefighters. Firefighters along with heavy equipment continue to make progress in establishing guard in this area. Helicopters also continue to aid firefighting efforts by dropping retardant and water on the fire perimeter in priority areas to limit fire spread.

Firefighters continue to establish a water delivery system using large water tanks, water reservoirs pumps, sprinklers and hose line. Once this is complete, this system will help support firefighters directly attack the fire perimeter and assist in flooding areas where the fire is burning in peat moss. The hoses used in this operation will supply firefighters with around 9,000 liters of water a minute. Firefighters have almost completed setting up the first tank and hoses have been laid. It is expected to have water flowing by the end of today. 

On the west side, firefighters continue with direct attack extinguishing hotspots and mopping-up 100 feet inward, south of Highway 58. In the southwest, hose lay, mop-up and extinguishing hotspots is ongoing. In the southern end of the wildfire, infrared scanning has identified some hotspots and firefighters continue to extinguish hotspots in priority areas.

Currently, the fire is 334,064 hectares in size and still classified as out of control. 

There are 1,161 wildland firefighters and support staff, 46 helicopters and 123 pieces of heavy equipment fighting this wildfire. Firefighters, helicopters, airtankers and heavy equipment are positioned throughout the High Level Forest Area to respond to any new wildfire starts.

There are currently 13 wildfires in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta. Of these fires, only the Chuckegg Creek fire is considered out of control. 

Since March 1, 2019, Alberta has recorded 708 wildfires in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta that have burned a total of 802,389 hectares.