Smoke seen from the Drayton Valley wildfire on Thursday, May 4, 2023. (Photo: Mike Modney)

By Sarah Jones

Alberta calls in 79 out of province firefighters to assist in multiple active wildfires

May 5, 2023 | 1:51 PM

EDMONTON, AB – As of May 5, 2023, Alberta has 84 active wildfires, which according to Alberta Wildfire, is a significant bump in activity for this time of year.

On Friday afternoon, Alberta Wildfire provided an update into several fires that have been burning out of control in the Central and North parts of the province.

Alberta Wildfire information manager, Christie Tucker, said that Friday’s dry, hot and windy conditions will pose serious challenges and risks to those working on the ground.

With resources spread between 10 major wildfires of note, including in Drayton Valley, Fox Lake and Rainbow Lake, the province has called in additional help from firefighters from out of province.

Through an agreement with the Canadian Inter-Agency Forest Fire Centre, 79 firefighters from Quebec and Ontario will be arriving in Alberta to assist in aid on Friday and Saturday, May 6.

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Seasonal firefighters are also in the process of hitting the fire lines, alongside the year-round fire crews.

Tucker explained that with extreme fire danger posing a threat to several communities, resources will be shared throughout the province, but wildfires posing a risk to human life will take precedence.

“We have a few things that we consider when we’re looking at wildfire priorities. Number one is human life. So, what we’re looking at is those areas where communities are affected immediately and where we can help people right away if we can.”

She continued, “And of course we have to prioritize any new fires that could start, because if we have a chance to catch a fire early, that’s going to save a lot of work down the line.”

Alberta Wildfire went on to say that at this time of year, a majority of wildfires are caused by human activity.

The following wildfires of note are determined to be of significant public interest and may pose a threat to public safety, communities or critical infrastructure.

Fox Lake – HWF 030

As of Friday, the fire is burning out of control in the community of Fox Lake and is estimated to be 4,383 hectares in size. There are 55 firefighters, five helicopters, six structure protection crews with vehicles, and eight pieces of heavy equipment working on this fire. Overnight, Fox Lake was evacuated, and 115 people were airlifted out by helicopter.

Drayton Valley/ Brazeau County – RCU 005

The wildfire burning on the south edge of Drayton Valley is classified as out of control and to be 1,500 hectares. Alberta Wildfire has sent 26 firefighters and three helicopters to the wildfire. Airtankers will also be supporting the firefighting efforts throughout the day Friday.

Rainbow Lake – HWF 036

Near the community of Rainbow Lake, a 500-hectare wildfire is burning out of control. There are 24 firefighters, two helicopters and eight pieces of heavy equipment currently working on scene with heavy bucketing helicopters operating in the High Level area. Fox Lake residents have been fully evacuated to the Town of High Level.

Evansburg – WCU 002

Just seven-kilometers northwest of Evansburg, a 2,254 hectare wildfire is burning out of control. According to Alberta Wildfire, there are 80 wildland firefighters, four helicopters, and 14 pieces of heavy equipment working to control this wildfire, which is estimated to be 65 per cent contained, as of Friday.

Pembina River – WCU 001

The wildfire centred on the east side of the Pembina River is out of control at 950 hectares. Initial attack will focus on any spotting activity, and an evacuation order is in place for residents east of the Pembina.

Big Lakes County – SWF 057

Just 35 kilometers south of Swan River First Nation, a five hectare wildfire is burning out of control. An Evacuation Alert was issued just after midnight as of May 5. Two helicopters and 13 firefighters are on scene, as of Friday’s provincial update.

Edson – RWF 031

Nearly 43 kilometers southeast of Edson, a 24,000 hectare wildfire is burning out of control. Overnight, oil and gas facilities and one campground were evacuated. There are currently three dozer groups on standby to action and three helicopters working the wildfire, with airtanker support and an ignition specialist requested.

Further information about the wildfires of note and evacuation alerts and orders can be found on the Alberta Government website or the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.

Tucker added, “There is a huge fire load in the province right now, as you’ve seen, we have fires in the Central portion, we have fires in the North. It’s just an indication of the conditions that we’re seeing. Temperatures have been 10 to 15 degrees above normal for a little while now, and we still don’t have green grass and leaves all over the province, which means the ground is very dry.”

According to Alberta Wildfire, since the start of January 2023, the province has seen over 25,000 hectares of land burned due to 348 wildfires.

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