Edson Forest Area - May 31, 2025

Wildfire situation

Since January 1, there have been 39 wildfires in the Edson Forest Area burning a total of 1,832 hectares (ha). View active wildfires, their locations and stats on the interactive map on our wildfire status page. 

Yellowhead County evacuation orders

Yellowhead County has issued several evacuation alerts and orders. Visit Alberta Emergency Alert or download the app for further information and instructions. You can also find more on their preparedness website. Evacuees can check in at the Reception Centre at the Holiday Inn Express in Edson or call 1-833-334-4630.  For highway closures, visit Alberta 511 for further information. 

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 16 ha and classified as out of control. 

Alberta Wildfire firefighters, helicopters and airtankers responded quickly yesterday. Firefighters will return today to prevent the spread and start searching for and extinguishing hotspots.

EWF036 near Peers

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 wildfire is now estimated to be 1,400 ha in size. 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. Firefighters worked late into the evening with helicopters bucketing hotspots. Heavy equipment worked through the night to build containment line surrounding the new perimeter of where the fire escaped. Containment lines are built to prevent the wildfire from spreading however under windy conditions, the fire can spot across the line. 

Today firefighters, helicopters and heavy equipment will work on re-enforcing the containment line and search for and extinguish hotspots. They'll also assess efficacy of airtankers and will request if required. 

Crossover conditions are not expected today which should allow for better firefighting efforts however winds gusting up to 40 km/h could move the wildfire towards the south. Winds were variable yesterday with significant growth towards the west. Winds shifted and pushed the wildfire towards the north later in the evening towards Peers. 

The wildfire reached the FireSmart vegetation block that was established previously and firefighters observed intense crown fire drop down to surface fire allowing them and airtankers to reduce the fire behavior and spread. Yellowhead County's structure protection along the train tracks also helped with preventing the spread.  Yellowhead County firefighters are also continuing to assess and maintain the sprinkler protection in Peers and surrounding area.

An airtanker flies over the front of the wildfire south of Peers. The FireSmart vegetation block south of Peers allowed for less challenging firefighting efforts. 

 

Alberta Wildfire and Yellowhead County Fire Dept are working in Peers to prevent the spread of the wildfire (May 30, 2025)

EWF030 Mercoal Creek Wildfire 

EWF030 is located 6 km west of Mercoal and 16 km southwest of Robb. The wildfire escaped the perimeter yesterday and is now classified as out of control and estimated to be 400 ha. This wildfire was caused by lightning. 

Yesterday, airtankers were able to create a containment line to hold the fire against the mine site and the McLeod River. Firefighters, water trucks and heavy equipment will continue working to contain the wildfire. They'll be searching for and extinguishing hotspots, which often involves digging deep into the ground and dousing the smoldering fire with water.

Lightning-caused wildfires 

Lightning-caused wildfires are a common natural occurrence in Alberta, making up approximately 30% of the wildfires that occur each year in the Edson Forest Area. 

Lightning-caused wildfires can be deceptively delayed, sometimes taking days to become visible after the initial strike. When lightning hits a tree or dry vegetation, it can ignite a slow-burning fire deep within organic layers of soil or in the core of a tree, where it smolders quietly without producing visible flames or smoke. These "holdover fires" can persist unnoticed, insulated by damp soil or dense vegetation, until weather conditions change—such as drier air or stronger winds—allowing the fire to surface and spread rapidly. This delayed ignition makes detection and response particularly challenging, increasing the risk of the fire growing out of control before it's even discovered.

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]