Edson Forest Area - June 06, 2025 - 9:00 pm

Wildfire situation

Since January 1, there have been 43 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. Wildfires are regularly assessed by experts and assigned a status to describe the behaviour of the wildfire, and how it is responding to suppression efforts under current and expected conditions. Visit our website to learn more.

EWF043 near Willmore Park

Firefighters and a helicopter are currently responding to a wildfire located in the campground of Willmore Park, south of Edson and 4.5 km south of Highway 16. It's estimated to be 0.01 ha which is about the size of a large campfire. The fire is currently under control. Firefighters will remain on scene until it's extinguished.

Yellowhead Wildfire Complex | EWF030, EWF036, EWF038

EWF038 near Cynthia

EWF038 is located 12 km northeast of Cynthia and 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 estimated to be 10 ha and classified as under control. Firefighter efforts have been successful and we don't expect this fire to grow. They continue searching for and extinguishing hot spots. 

EWF036 January Creek Wildfire

EWF036 is located on the south side of Peers. The size is now estimated to be 738 ha and remains classified as out of control which means that the wildfire has the potential to grow. A status change will only occur when firefighters are confident there is no risk for further growth. The cause of the wildfire is under investigation.

In order to allow residents to return to their homes, firefighters focused on the areas of the wildfire closest to the community. They built containment lines with heavy equipment on the north side of the wildfire. Firefighters searched for and extinguished hot spots in these areas to prevent any flare ups near Peers. 

Firefighters continue to work along and within the perimeter, securing and re-enforcing the containment lines surrounding the wildfire. This process, called mop up, can take several days and sometimes weeks, depending on how many hot spots are found and how deeply they are burning in the ground. 

Aerial heat scanning was conducted and crews are working on priority hot spots. The majority of the heat was located in the interior of the wildfire perimeter on the northeast and southwest of the wildfire. Another heat scan is scheduled in the following days to help focus firefighting efforts. 

Firefighters observed increased wildfire activity because of higher temperatures, low humidity and strong gusting winds. Airtankers were dispatched to assist on the northeast corner to cool the flare-up, skimming on Shinning bank Lake. Firefighters will be on scene and ready to respond if an increase in fire behaviour does occur. Smoke will be visible from within the fire perimeter.

Tomorrow, similar conditions are expected with a high of 20C, relative humidity of 25% and winds northwest 20-25 gusting to 50 km/h. This could move wildfires towards the southeast. No precipitation is in the short-term forecast.

Airtankers assisted firefighters on EWF036 today (June 6, 2025)

EWF030 Mercoal Creek Wildfire

EWF030 is located 6 km west of Mercoal and 16 km southwest of Robb. The wildfire is now classified as being held which means that given current weather conditions and resources, the wildfire is not anticipated to grow past existing boundaries. The wildfire is estimated to be 320 ha in size and determined to be caused by lightning. 

Multiple days of cool temperatures, higher relative humidity and some precipitation kept the fire activity low on this wildfire, allowing great progress to be made. Aerial heat scans were conducted last night and identified very little heat. Firefighters continue 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.

Evacuations and road closures

Visit Alberta Emergency Alert or download the app for information on current evacuation orders or alerts. You can also find information on wildfire preparedness on our website. For highway closures, visit Alberta 511. 

Safety near burnt areas

We urge residents and members of the public to use extra caution near burnt areas. There are many hazards that may not be visible, like deep burning ash pits and falling trees. Burnt trees are a serious hazard, and trees that may look healthy that have green needles or leaves could have burnt out roots under the ground and fall unexpectedly. Keep in mind that trees and powerlines could also fall on the road and block your vehicle. Do not approach powerlines as they could be energized.

Illegal use of drones near wildfires

Flying a drone near or over a wildfire endangers our pilots and forces us to ground aircraft, causing delays in firefighting operations. You could face a hefty fine for putting aircraft and people at risk. Please give our firefighters the space they need to do their jobs safely.