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High wildfire danger
The fire danger remains high in the Edson Forest Area, due to hot and windy conditions. A wildfire will ignite very easily in these conditions and can quickly grow out of control. Avoid all outdoor activities that have the potential to spark a fire. Be cautious if you are spending time outdoors.
Wildfire situation
Since January 1, there have been 33 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 265 hectares (ha). View active wildfires, their locations and stats on the interactive map on our wildfire status page.
Mercoal Creek Wildfire (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 mapped this wildfire more precisely and determined that the size is now approximately 250 ha.
Yesterday saw cooler temperatures and nearly no fire activity. Today, firefighters are recording 25 C and 22% relative humidity and anticipating the temperature to climb. These crossover conditions, which means that the temperatures is higher then the relative humidity, creates perfect conditions for intense fire behaviour. Winds are forecasted from the southeast 20-25 gusting to 45 km/h, possibly moving any fire activity towards the northwest.
Tomorrow, similar weather conditions are expected with winds from the southwest, possibly moving the wildfire towards the northeast.
Firefighters will continue working to contain the wildfire with the assistance of heavy equipment and helicopters. They're searching for and extinguishing hotspots which often involves digging deep into the ground and dousing the smoldering fire with water. Airtankers are available if required.
Smoke can be seen from EWF030 as temperatures climb and wind increases (May 28, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.).
Message from Yellowhead County
Yellowhead County Fire Deptarment (YCFD) firefighters have completed setting up Structural Protection Units (SPU) in Mercoal and have moved to Robb to set up sprinklers for buildings in the hamlet. Six four-hundred barrel water tanks have been set up strategically throughout Robb to provide water for the Sprinkler protections systems. Over one kilometre of hose has been laid down throughout the community to feed the sprinklers. The sprinkler protection system is being set up as a precautionary measure to reduce the threat of wildfire damage to the hamlet.
Robb residents will see continued activity in the hamlet today as YCFD firefighters continue to set up preventative Structural Protection sprinkler systems in the community. This is a precautionary measure for the safety of residents and homes in Robb.
YCFD firefighters in the hamlet can assist residents with any questions regarding the Structural Protection Units (SPU) being set up and other preventative measures.
There is no evacuation order for the community at this time; however, having a plan and being prepared is always a good idea. More information can be found at https://yhcounty.ca/living-here/emergency-preparedness/
Residents in the affected area can call 1-833-334-5630.
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 28, 2025 5:26 pm