Government mail service may be affected by the Canada Post labour disruption. Learn about how critical government mail will be handled.
High wildfire danger
The fire danger is high in the Edson Forest Area, due to hot and windy conditions. Although some regions received rain, it was not widespread and vegetation is drying out. A wildfire can ignite easily and spread quickly in these conditions. Please be cautious if you are spending time outdoors.
Wildfire situation
Since January 1, there have been 31 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 298 hectares. View active wildfires, their locations and stats on the interactive map on our wildfire status page.
Wildfire west of Mercoal (EWF030)
Alberta Wildfire firefighters, helicopters and heavy equipment continue to respond to wildfire EWF030, located 6 km west of Mercoal and 16 km southwest of Robb. The wildfire remains classified as out of control. Firefighters were able to remap the area and determined that the size is now approximately 284 hectares.
Yesterday saw cooler temperatures, however the forecasted weather for the next few days shows an increase in temperature with lower humidity and this could lead to more favorable conditions for wildfire behaviour. Winds are forecasted to come from the west, possibly moving any fire activity towards the east.
Today firefighters will continue to contain the wildfire with the assistance of heavy equipment and helicopters. They'll be searching for and extinguishing hotspots. Airtankers are available if required.
Very little fire behavior is observed over EWF030 today (May 27, 2025 at 1:00 p.m.).
Message from Yellowhead County
Residents are reminded to be prepared in case of an emergency. Gather pet supplies, important documents, medication, food, water, and supplies for at least three days. Make sure you have enough fuel in your vehicle. Make plans if you need evacuation transportation assistance due to mobility or other transportation needs.
Remember to visit or download the Alberta Emergency Alert App for future information. For more details for residents in the affected area, call 1-833-334-5630. More information can be found at yhcounty.ca/prepare.
Lightning-caused wildfires
Lightning-caused wildfires are a common natural occurrence in Alberta, making up approximately 30% of the wildfires that occur each year.
Often, these wildfires start in remote areas when lightening strikes dry vegetation such as grass and trees allowing for a quick start. Since these starts are usually located far from roads or communities, they can go unnoticed. They can grow quickly, especially when windy conditions occur before firefighting efforts can begin.
Lightning strike caused wildfires are less frequent that those caused by humans, they do tend to burn a much larger area. Alberta Wildfire closely monitors lightening activity using resources such as aerial surveillance and fire lookout observers and towers to detect and respond to these wildfires as early as possible. Another large portion of fire detections are reported by the public and industry.
The forest area has firefighters and equipment ready to respond for the anticipated increase in fire danger and thunderstorms in the forecast. Call 310-FIRE if you see smoke or flames and suspect it's a wildfire. Learn more about how to report a wildfire.
Fire advisory
A fire advisory is in place for the Edson Forest Area.
Under this advisory:
- Existing fire permits are still valid.
- New fire permit requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Prohibited:
- Any burning without a valid fire permit, other than a campfire
- Fireworks and exploding targets without written permission from a Forest Officer
Allowed:
- Safe wood campfires
- Propane fire pits
- Gas or propane stoves and barbecues
- Catalytic or infrared style heaters
Fire restriction
A fire restriction is in place for a small portion of the Edson Forest Area, located north of Grande Cache.
Visit Alberta Fire Bans for more information and to see the boundaries of the fire advisory and fire restriction on a map.
Contact info
Caroline Charbonneau
780-740-1341
[email protected]
Terry Abual-Soud
780-728-2397
[email protected]
Published on May 27, 2025 1:17 pm