Latest news with #RedEarthCreek
CTV News
04-07-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Rainy weather lifts fire bans in High Level, Fort McMurray
Wet weather and cooler temperatures have lifted fire bans in High Level and Fort McMurray forest areas as the risk of wildfires declines. However, Alberta Wildfire says lightning from rainstorms have sparked new fires in recent days. While outdoor wood fires and barbecue charcoal briquettes are permitted while the fire ban is lifted, Alberta Wildfire says fireworks are prohibited in the forest protection area unless special permission is given. You can confirm advisories, restrictions and bans in your area here. There are 50 wildfires burning across the province as of Friday afternoon. Fourteen are classified as out of control. There have been 12 new wildfires since Thursday. Red Earth Creek complex One of the Red Earth Creek complex fires can be seen on June 3, 2025. (Photo: Alberta Wildfire) Evacuation orders for Peerless Lake, Trout Lake and Chipewyan Lake remain in place while several blazes that make up the Red Earth East Complex continue to burn out of control. Loon River First Nation, Red Earth Creek and the Blueberry Mountain area still remain on an evacuation alert.
CTV News
24-06-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
2 northern Alberta communities to return home almost a month after fleeing wildfire
One of several fires that make up the Red Earth Creek Creek complex can be seen in a photo from June 2, 2025. (Photo: Alberta Wildfire) Three communities in northern Alberta will welcome home residents displaced by wildfires. For some, it's been almost a month since they left. Evacuation orders for Red Earth Creek and Loon River First Nation will be lifted on Wednesday. Red Earth Creek was evacuated on May 28 and Loon Lake was evacuated early the next day. To the west, Saddle Hills County lifted its evacuation order on Tuesday for the Blueberry Mountain area. It was first issued on June 13. An evacuation alert remains in effect for returning residents in all three communities. Evacuation orders remained in effect for Chipewyan Lake, Peerless Lake and Trout Lake due the Red Earth East fire complex, which is made up of 10 wildfires in the Slave Lake forest area. Those communities were all evacuated at the end of May. As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 51 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection areas, with 18 classified as out of control. The province said recent rainfall in central Alberta has assisted firefighting efforts but conditions remain dry and warm in the north. A fire ban was in effect for the entire northernmost part of the province. The most up-to-date information can be found on the Alberta Fire Bans website.
CBC
23-06-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Heavy rain helps tame wildfire danger in parts of Alberta
Heavy rain over the past week has helped lower wildfire risk in Alberta, but wildfire officials warn that many regions remain on high alert. Environment Canada reported Sunday that total rainfall amounts of more than 100 millimetres have been reported since Friday, with the heaviest rain falling along the foothills and over parts of eastern Alberta. Josee St-Onge, an Alberta Wildfire information officer, said the wildfire risk in central and southern Alberta is now much lower. "We didn't have wildfires burning in the south, but we did in central Alberta, and they've received a lot of moisture, so that's good for firefighters," she said. "On a really large wildfire, that's not necessarily enough to extinguish it because the fires are very large and sometimes they burn really deeply into the ground. But it gives us a really good window to make progress." Areas in far northern Alberta are experiencing extremely dry and warm temperatures, St-Onge said. St-Onge said thunder showers could bring lightning that could start new wildfires. Major wildfires that forced residents to evacuate for several weeks remain active for the communities of Chipewyan Lake, Peerless and Trout Lake, Red Earth Creek and Loon River First Nation. Known as the Red Earth East complex and composed of 10 wildfires centred in the northeastern portion of the Slave Lake Forest Area, it one of the largest in the province. Located near Red Earth Creek and Loon Lake First Nation, it is classified as out of control and is about 78,000 hectares in size as of Sunday. About 670,000 hectares of land has burned since the start of wildfire season on March 1. Currently, there are 54 active wildfires burning in the province as of noon Monday. Of those, 27 are considered out of control and four are considered held. The majority of central and southern Alberta remain under fire advisories, including parts of Edmonton and the fire danger risk is hovering between low and moderate for the rest of the week. St-Onge also warns about the dangers that some Canada Day celebration might pose. While she said it should take some time for wildfire danger to crawl back up to high, because of the time it takes for precipitation to evaporate, temperatures in Edmonton and surrounding regions are expected to warm up significantly later this week. "Every time we have a long weekend or a holiday, we do see an increase in human caused wildfires, often from abandoned campfires or campfires that aren't extinguished properly," she said.
National Post
01-06-2025
- Climate
- National Post
Wildfire updates: 25 Alberta blazes deemed out of control Wildfires rage in northeast B.C.
Article content Friday Article content Wildfires of note grow from four to seven in one day Article content As of Friday, the province listed seven wildfires of note, up three from Thursday morning numbers — the Edith Lake wildfire, Red Earth East Complex (made up of a number of wildfires near the community of Chipewyan Lake), a wildfire south of Winefred Lake, a wildfire west of Mercoal, a wildfire east of Peerless Trout First Nation, a wildfire near Whitefish Lake First Nation only 5 kilometres from a nearby highway and a wildfire near Marten Beach. Article content The fire near Marten Beach has crossed the Highway 88 and the roadway has been closed at Highway 754 north of Slave Lake. Article content Firefighters, helicopters and heavy equipment are deployed at all fires of note, with airtankers using retardant drops to build containment lines and some crews using night vision-equipped helicopters to contain fires overnight. Article content Residents of Westlock County and the Loon Lake, Peerless Trout and Dene Tha First Nations were fleeing wildfires after evacuation orders were issued Thursday, as were inhabitants of Red Earth Creek. Article content Underlining the gravity of the situation at Red Earth Creek, Alberta Wildfire officials warned the evacuation route to Peace River on Highway 88 was being menaced by flames 'and the status could change at any moment . . . you may experience smoky conditions on the Highway to Peace River.' Article content Conklin was put on alert for possible evacuation Thursday afternoon, with an out-of-control blaze spreading toward the community. Article content Meanwhile, the Whitefish River Community was also on evacuation notice, due to concern over shifting winds that might cause a nearby wildfire change direction and put residents at risk. Article content About 1,300 residents of Swan Hills evacuated earlier this week to nearby Whitecourt in the face of fires that also disrupted oilfield operations. Article content Other Alberta communities, including the Village of Boyle and Thorhild County, issued local state of emergencies in May as a result of fast-moving and out-of-control fires. Article content Alberta Emergency Alert regularly updates its website and X account with ongoing evacuation orders and fire alerts. Article content Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has declared a provincial state of emergency in response to several rapidly spreading wildfires that have forced thousands of people to evacuate their northern communities. Article content Moe made the announcement Thursday to begin a wildfire update from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA). Article content 'It's a very serious situation that we're faced with …,' Moe told the media. 'There are no resources on the shelf. They're all being deployed to support Saskatchewan.' Article content Following a similar announcement by Manitoba on Wednesday, Saskatchewan became the second province in as many days to declare a state of emergency. Article content As of Thursday, more than 8,300 people from northern Saskatchewan were under evacuation. In Manitoba, that number is 17,000 people — the largest wildfire evacuation in recent memory, according to Premier Wab Kinew. Article content My buddy sent these to me last night... The entire town of Flin Flon, MB 🇨🇦 is now on mandatory evacuation... He has a hunting, outback and fishing business in the direct line of the fire Please send Prayers for everyone affected by the Flin Flon Wildfires 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 — lisahsmithlhs (@lisahsmithlhs) May 28, 2025 Article content B.C. has sent crews and resources to both prairie provinces, as well as Ontario, to assist in fire-fighting efforts, according to the province's Minister of Forests. Article content Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management, Community Resilience and Minister responsible for PrairiesCan, has approved Manitoba's request for federal assistance and said crews will assisting with urgent air evacs as well as any other supports needed. Additionally, Olszewski will be meeting with Tim McLeod, Saskatchewan's Minister of Public Safety, to discuss the response to Saskatchewan's fire situation. Article content With below-normal snowpacks during the winter and predicted summer-time drought conditions hitting various parts of Canada, the wildfire season could be a difficult one. Already, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have declared states of emergency to help protect people from raging flames and significant evacuations of northern communities in both provinces have seen thousands of people forced to flee their homes. Article content 'This is the largest evacuation in many Manitobans' living memory and this will require significant resources and co-operation from all levels of government,' says Manitoba premier Wab Kinew. Already, two people have died in wildfires in that province. Article content In Alberta, evacuation orders are also increasing in the northern part of the province as out-of-control fires rage. Article content 'Wildland fire activity is significant within one or more jurisdictions,' CIFFC says. 'Firefighters and equipment in every jurisdiction is put to use, and international help has been requested.' Article content Article content In Alberta, go to That's where you'll find a wildfire map, dashboard of incidents and forest area updates. In British Columbia, the daily wildfire update is at In Saskatchewan, the active wildifre situation map can be found here and reports on bans along with fire bulletins are here. In Manitoba, wildfire information, reports and updates are here. Article content What do the different wildfire statuses mean? Article content Turned over: Alberta Wildfire says a wildfire is 'turned over' when a fire that is under control is given to another agency to extinguish it. Mutual aid: If a fire is a 'mutual aid wildfire,' it's a wildfire that has started in a municipal district and that district's firefighters may need help fighting it from Alberta Wildfire. Under control: If firefighters and equipment have successfully managed a fire to make sure it won't grow, it's classified as being 'under control.' Being held: Based on expected weather and the resources already fighting a particular fire, a fire that is 'being held' means it's not expected to spread. Out of control: A wildfire is growing, or expected to grow, and thus its status is one of being out of control. Source: Government of Alberta Article content How can I help prevent wildfires? Article content The number of wildfires caused by humans vs. lightning strikes has varied over the years, but Natural Resources Canada reports that in 2023 lightning caused about 50 per cent of all fires. Those fires, however, represented, about 85 per cent of the annual area consumed by flames. Article content When it comes to human-caused fires, wildfire experts provide some straightforward advice. Start by being familiar with campfire safety. Use designated fire pits and don't start a fire near an abundance of nearby potential fuel. Keep the fire sheltered from the wind; keep water nearby in case of emergency; and, ensure all fires are extinguished each night. If you're in a rural area, ensure you know how to safely burn vegetation or brush or understand how to use burn barrels. Article content Rules for everyone? Don't flick smoking materials onto the ground or out a vehicle's window. Obey all fire bans. Avoid use of explosive materials like fireworks. Article content
National Post
01-06-2025
- Climate
- National Post
Western Canada wildfires: 26 Alberta blazes deemed out of control, some oilsands sites emptying
Article content Article content Friday Article content As of Friday, the province listed seven wildfires of note, up three from Thursday morning numbers — the Edith Lake wildfire, Red Earth East Complex (made up of a number of wildfires near the community of Chipewyan Lake), a wildfire south of Winefred Lake, a wildfire west of Mercoal, a wildfire east of Peerless Trout First Nation, a wildfire near Whitefish Lake First Nation only 5 kilometres from a nearby highway and a wildfire near Marten Beach. Article content The fire near Marten Beach has crossed the Highway 88 and the roadway has been closed at Highway 754 north of Slave Lake. Article content Firefighters, helicopters and heavy equipment are deployed at all fires of note, with airtankers using retardant drops to build containment lines and some crews using night vision-equipped helicopters to contain fires overnight. Article content Residents of Westlock County and the Loon Lake, Peerless Trout and Dene Tha First Nations were fleeing wildfires after evacuation orders were issued Thursday, as were inhabitants of Red Earth Creek. Article content Underlining the gravity of the situation at Red Earth Creek, Alberta Wildfire officials warned the evacuation route to Peace River on Highway 88 was being menaced by flames 'and the status could change at any moment . . . you may experience smoky conditions on the Highway to Peace River.' Article content Conklin was put on alert for possible evacuation Thursday afternoon, with an out-of-control blaze spreading toward the community. Article content Meanwhile, the Whitefish River Community was also on evacuation notice, due to concern over shifting winds that might cause a nearby wildfire change direction and put residents at risk. Article content About 1,300 residents of Swan Hills evacuated earlier this week to nearby Whitecourt in the face of fires that also disrupted oilfield operations. Article content Other Alberta communities, including the Village of Boyle and Thorhild County, issued local state of emergencies in May as a result of fast-moving and out-of-control fires. Article content Thursday Article content Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has declared a provincial state of emergency in response to several rapidly spreading wildfires that have forced thousands of people to evacuate their northern communities. Article content Moe made the announcement Thursday to begin a wildfire update from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA). Article content 'It's a very serious situation that we're faced with …,' Moe told the media. 'There are no resources on the shelf. They're all being deployed to support Saskatchewan.' Article content Following a similar announcement by Manitoba on Wednesday, Saskatchewan became the second province in as many days to declare a state of emergency. Article content As of Thursday, more than 8,300 people from northern Saskatchewan were under evacuation. In Manitoba, that number is 17,000 people — the largest wildfire evacuation in recent memory, according to Premier Wab Kinew. Article content My buddy sent these to me last night... The entire town of Flin Flon, MB 🇨🇦 is now on mandatory evacuation... He has a hunting, outback and fishing business in the direct line of the fire Please send Prayers for everyone affected by the Flin Flon Wildfires 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 — lisahsmithlhs (@lisahsmithlhs) May 28, 2025 Article content B.C. has sent crews and resources to both prairie provinces, as well as Ontario, to assist in fire-fighting efforts, according to the province's Minister of Forests. Article content Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management, Community Resilience and Minister responsible for PrairiesCan, has approved Manitoba's request for federal assistance and said crews will assisting with urgent air evacs as well as any other supports needed. Additionally, Olszewski will be meeting with Tim McLeod, Saskatchewan's Minister of Public Safety, to discuss the response to Saskatchewan's fire situation. Article content We have an update on @BCGovFireInfo support for our neighbours out East: We are deploying another 50+ BCWS fighters to Manitoba, in addition to the nearly 100 in Ontario. We're also sending resources to Saskatchewan, in response to wildfire activity. #TeamCanada #BCWS — Ravi Parmar (@rparmar_BC) May 29, 2025 Article content Article content With below-normal snowpacks during the winter and predicted summer-time drought conditions hitting various parts of Canada, the wildfire season could be a difficult one. Already, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have declared states of emergency to help protect people from raging flames and significant evacuations of northern communities in both provinces have seen thousands of people forced to flee their homes. Article content 'This is the largest evacuation in many Manitobans' living memory and this will require significant resources and co-operation from all levels of government,' says Manitoba premier Wab Kinew. Already, two people have died in wildfires in that province. Article content In Alberta, evacuation orders are also increasing in the northern part of the province as out-of-control fires rage. Article content 'Wildland fire activity is significant within one or more jurisdictions,' CIFFC says. 'Firefighters and equipment in every jurisdiction is put to use, and international help has been requested.' Article content Article content In Alberta, go to That's where you'll find a wildfire map, dashboard of incidents and forest area updates. In British Columbia, the daily wildfire update is at In Saskatchewan, the active wildifre situation map can be found here and reports on bans along with fire bulletins are here. In Manitoba, wildfire information, reports and updates are here. Article content What do the different wildfire statuses mean? Article content Turned over: Alberta Wildfire says a wildfire is 'turned over' when a fire that is under control is given to another agency to extinguish it. Mutual aid: If a fire is a 'mutual aid wildfire,' it's a wildfire that has started in a municipal district and that district's firefighters may need help fighting it from Alberta Wildfire. Under control: If firefighters and equipment have successfully managed a fire to make sure it won't grow, it's classified as being 'under control.' Being held: Based on expected weather and the resources already fighting a particular fire, a fire that is 'being held' means it's not expected to spread. Out of control: A wildfire is growing, or expected to grow, and thus its status is one of being out of control. Source: Government of Alberta Article content How can I help prevent wildfires? Article content The number of wildfires caused by humans vs. lightning strikes has varied over the years, but Natural Resources Canada reports that in 2023 lightning caused about 50 per cent of all fires. Those fires, however, represented, about 85 per cent of the annual area consumed by flames. Article content When it comes to human-caused fires, wildfire experts provide some straightforward advice. Start by being familiar with campfire safety. Use designated fire pits and don't start a fire near an abundance of nearby potential fuel. Keep the fire sheltered from the wind; keep water nearby in case of emergency; and, ensure all fires are extinguished each night. Article content If you're in a rural area, ensure you know how to safely burn vegetation or brush or understand how to use burn barrels. Article content Rules for everyone? Don't flick smoking materials onto the ground or out a vehicle's window. Obey all fire bans. Avoid use of explosive materials like fireworks. Article content
