Edson Forest Area - June 02, 2025 - 7:15 pm

Wildfire situation

Since January 1, there have been 40 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 1,085 hectares (ha). View active wildfires, their locations and statistics on the interactive map on our wildfire status page. 

Yellowhead County evacuation orders

Robb, Mercoal and Peers remain under evacuation. Residents will be able to return at noon tomorrow (Tuesday, June 3). Visit Alberta Emergency Alert or download the app for further information and instructions. You can also find more on their preparedness website. For more information, you can call 1-833-334-4630. For highway closures, visit Alberta 511 for further information. 

Yellowhead Wildfire Complex | EWF030, EWF036

January Creek Wildfire - EWF036

EWF036 is located on the south side of Peers. The wildfire started on the west side of highway 32 and crossed over onto the east side on May 29. The size is now estimated to be 738 ha. The wildfire remains classified as out of control and under investigation.

Alberta Wildfire firefighters, heavy equipment, helicopters and airtankers, alongside Yellowhead County Fire Department, continue responding to this wildfire.

Tomorrow, low to moderate fire behaviour is expected with no precipitation. A high of 16C and 40% relative humidity will help keep vegetation from drying but winds from the west northwest 15-20 gusting to 35 km/h will encourage fire spread. Significant smoke may be visible from within the fire perimeter.

Alberta Wildfire and Yellowhead County Fire Department focused on areas that needed to be secured so residents could re-enter the community and Highway 32 to re-open. Firefighters and aircraft will continue searching for and extinguishing hotspots, which could take days or even weeks. They'll need to dig deep into the ground, exposing smouldering ground fire and extinguishing it with water. 

The perimeter of a wildfire needs to be contained before firefighters start extinguishing the interior. Containment lines are often built with heavy equipment, like bulldozers and excavators. Once the perimeter is contained, firefighters start working on hot spots in the interior, focusing on an area of about 100 metres from the edge. Once that work is complete, firefighters move further into the interior and continue to extinguish hot spots until there is no more heat.

Firefighters, helicopters and heavy equipment will work again until late into the evening. Yellowhead County firefighters are also continuing to assess and maintain the sprinkler protection in Peers and surrounding area. They are in the community 24 hours a day.  

Mercoal Creek Wildfire - EWF030  

EWF030 is located 6 km west of Mercoal and 16 km southwest of Robb. The wildfire remains classified as out of control and estimated to be 320 ha in size. This wildfire was caused by lightning. 

A high of 13C and 50% relative humidity is in the forecast, with winds north northwest 15 gusting to 30 km/h. The wildfire is not anticipated to grow beyond its perimeter today however firefighters are ready to respond if it does. Cooler temperatures will keep moisture in the ground but the strong winds could dry out the fine fuels quickly.  

Low to moderate fire behaviour was observed yesterday and is expected again today. The rain and snowfall only dampened the surface, like leaves and other small vegetation, without soaking deeper into organic material or tree roots. Wildfires can smoulder underground and burn in roots, peat and decaying logs. It is normal and expected to see smoke and occasional flames, especially in windy conditions.

Firefighters focused on extinguishing hot spots, which involves digging deep into the ground and dousing the smouldering fire with water. They'll continue this work until the hot spots are extinguished. Significant smoke may be seen, especially if there are strong winds.

EWF038 near Cynthia

EWF038 is located 12 km northeast of Cynthia, 10 km east of highway 753. It is 7 km north of highway 621 on the northeast corner of Sink Hole Lake. The wildfire is now estimated to be 10 ha and now classified as under control which means that the wildfire has received sufficient suppression action to ensure no further spread. Firefighters will return tomorrow and continue searching for and extinguishing hotspots. 

FireSmart your home, farm and acreage

Your actions today can minimize wildfire damage to your home and property tomorrow.

Flames aren’t the only threat. An estimated 90% of homes damaged or destroyed by wildfire are ignited by embers.  By taking proactive FireSmart measures around your house and yard, you can increase your properties’ resistance to wildfire.

Visit FireSmart Alberta for information on how to get your journey started. 

Contact info

Caroline Charbonneau
780-740-1341
[email protected]