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Very High wildfire danger
The fire danger in the Edson Forest Area is now very high. A wildfire will ignite very easily in these conditions and can quickly grow out of control. High temperatures and low humidity will cause intense fire behavior. A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for the area that could produce strong winds. A wildfire could move quickly under those conditions.
Avoid all outdoor activities that have the potential to cause a fire from a spark, friction or hot exhaust.
Fire ban
A fire ban is in effect for the northern and central regions of the Forest Protection Area. Under this ban, all outdoor wood fires are prohibited and existing fire permits are suspended.
Prohibited:
- All outdoor wood fires, including wood campfires on public and private land, designated firepits and backyard firepits
- Barbecue charcoal briquettes
- Fireworks and exploding targets
Allowed:
- Propane fire pits and natural gas-powered appliances
- Indoor wood fires
- Open flame oil devices
The fire ban will remain in effect until conditions improve. Visit Alberta Fire Bans for more information and to see the boundaries.
Wildfire situation
Since January 1, there have been 35 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 239 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 224 ha. The fire was caused by lightning.
The increase in temperatures and wind made firefighting challenging on the west perimeter of the wildfire. Firefighters and helicopters with water buckets were able to contain the spread and no new growth was reported. Today, firefighters anticipate the fire to challenge the east side due to wind shifts. Airtankers are available if required.
Crossover conditions are expected again today. A high of 29C and 20% relative humidity is forecasted with the possibility of rain and thunder showers later in the day. Winds from the southwest 15-20 km/h are expected to shift from the west 20-25 gusting to 40 km/h which would move the wildfire towards the east if it were to escape.
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.
Firefighters, heavy equipment operators and aircraft personnel worked tirelessly this week to contain EWF030 (May 28, 2025).
Message from Yellowhead County
Yellowhead County Fire Department (YCFD) firefighters are currently working in lower Robb and will move to the north end. 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 on the preparedness website.
Residents in the affected area can call 1-833-334-4630. Remember to download the Alberta Emergency Alert app and the Alberta Wildfire app. Get regular updates by visiting the social media page - Yellowhead County Facebook.
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 lightning 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 Edson 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.
Contact info
Caroline Charbonneau
780-740-1341
[email protected]
Terry Abual-Soud
780-728-2397
[email protected]
Published on May 29, 2025 2:29 pm