Slave Lake Area Update

Slave Lake Forest Area – May 31st 9:00 pm – Extreme – New Map of Wildfires

Posted on Fri, May 31, 2019

Keep up to date by downloading the Alberta Emergency Alert App or visit www.emergencyalert.alberta.ca

An Alberta Emergency Alert has been issued for  the mandatory evacuation of the Trout Lake Community. Visit www.ptfn.net for information.

An Alberta Emergency Alert has been issued for the mandatory evacuation of Chipewyan Lakes, the Hamlet of Wabasca and Bigstone Cree Nation. Click here to view the Alberta Emergency Alert.

An Alberta Emergency Information Alert has been issued for an immediate evacuation of Marten Beach. Visit www.mdlsr.ca for information. Lesser Slave Provincial Park is closed. Visit www.albertaparks.ca

An Alberta Emergency Information Alert has been issued for Town of Slave Lake. Click here for information.

For road conditions visit www.511.alberta.ca

Smoky conditions

As temperatures cool this evening, the smoke will become heavy and sink close to the ground. 

Smoke will continue to drift into the Slave Lake Forest Area over the next several days.

If you experience respiratory difficulties, visit Alberta Health Link or dial 811. Visit www.firesmoke.ca to view the most current smoke forecast.

Click here for Alberta Health Services Information about Wildfire Smoke.

Wildfire Situation as of May 31st as of 9:00 pm

Mcmillan Wildfire Complex

SWF-049 is 155,600 hectares and is classified as out of control.

SWF-050 did not grow and remains being held at 1,457 hectares.

SWF-069 (formerly Maria Lake Wildfire) is 56,269 hectares and is classified as out of control.

These wildfires did not spread significantly today. Community protection has been established in communities of Trout Lake and Marten Beach. This evening firefighters performed a successful ignition operation on the west side of Wabasca to create a fuel free guard against the community. 

The wildfires are; 

• 5.7 and 4.5 kilometres west of Wabasca No. 166B and 166D

• 23 kilometres northeast of Marten Beach

• 33.5 kilometres northeast of Slave Lake

• 13.8 kilometres southeast of Trout Lake

Fire fighting efforts will continue to focus on;

• Heavy equipment building fire guard on the south and west sides of the wildfire.

• Ignition to decrease the fire behavior by burning the fuels ahead of the fire on the west flank.

• Firefighters securing the fire guards by extinguishing ground fires.

• Firefighters and helicopters with buckets knocking down areas of open flame.

• Community Protection being established in Wabasca 166B and 166D.

There are 293 firefighters and support staff, 34 helicopters, airtankers, and 51 pieces of heavy equipment fighting this wildfire.

Click here for the most recent map of these wildfires.

Wildfire danger

The wildfire danger remains EXTREME for the entire Slave Lake Forest Area. Under these dry and windy conditions a fire will ignite easily and spread quickly. Smoky conditions in the Slave Lake Forest Area will persist over the next several days. Click here to view the wildfire danger map.

Firefighters are urging everyone to use caution and report wildfires immediately by calling 310-FIRE or #FIRE on your cell phone.

A Fire Ban/OHV Restriction is in effect for the entire Slave Lake Forest Area. The goal of the ban and restriction is to reduce human caused wildfires which keeps our firefighters focused on the current wildfires and new wildfire starts. Firefighters thank you for your cooperation. 

To view a map of the fire ban/OHV restriction visit www.albertafirebans.ca

To view a fact sheet on the OHV restriction click here. 

To view a fact sheet on the fire ban click here.

Slave Lake Forest Area wildfire stats

There were no new wildfires today. 

Since the start of the wildfire season on March 1st, there have been 81 wildfires and 214,187 hectares burned in the Slave Lake Forest Area. 

For information on the wildfire situation across the province of Alberta, visit: wildfire.alberta.ca.

Weather

For Saturday the high will be 25 degrees and winds will be from the southeast 20 kilometres per hour. The wind will shift to southwest 15-20 kilometres per hour.