Slave Lake Forest Area - June 01, 2025

Wildfire situation

Firefighters, supported by helicopters, airtankers and heavy equipment continue to fight the multiple wildfires in the Slave Lake Forest Area.

Since January 1, 2025, there have been 107 wildfires reported in the Slave Lake Forest Area, resulting in a total burned area of 297,418.03 hectares.

Smoky conditions

Smoky conditions may persist due to the ongoing wildfire activity in the Slave Lake Forest Area. Visit www.firesmoke.ca to see where the smoke is coming from. Anyone with health concerns should visit Alberta Health Services or call 811 for health advice from Alberta Health Link.

Red Earth East Complex

The Red Earth East Complex includes 9 wildfires located east of highway 88. An Incident Management Team has been established and is coordinating the firefighting efforts.

Wildfire SWF085 which impacted the community of Chipewyan Lake, is classified as burning out of control and is 132,167 hectares in size. A Wildland Urban Interface crew has been deployed to access the community.

An evacuation order remains in effect for the community of Chipewyan Lake. Residents are advised to monitor the Alberta Emergency Alert website for detailed information and updates. 

Wildfire SWF092 remains 8 kilometres southeast of Red Earth Creek and is approximately 18 kilometres west of Trout Lake. The wildfire is classified as burning out of control and is 39,744 hectares in size. Helicopters were bucketing on hotspots today and night vision equipped helicopters will be working through the night.

An evacuation order remains in effect for the communities of Red Earth Creek and Loon River First Nation Residents are advised to monitor the Alberta Emergency Alert website for detailed information and updates. 

Wildfire SWF095 is located east of the Peerless Lake community. Containment lines are established on north and south end of the wildfire, and firefighters will continue to strengthen these lines to limit further spread. The wildfire is classified as burning out of control and is 697 hectares in size.

An evacuation order remains in effect for the communities of Peerless Lake and Trout Lake. Residents are advised to monitor the Alberta Emergency Alert website for detailed information and updates. 

Wildfire near Whitefish River Utikoomak Lake 155A

Wildfire SWF078 is located north of Utikoomak Lake 155A. Firefighters supported by helicopters and heavy equipment made good progress and this wildfire is now being held.

A 2 hour evacuation alert remains in effect for the community of Whitefish River Utikoomak Lake 155A. Residents are advised to monitor the Alberta Emergency Alert website for detailed information and updates. 

Wildfire near Highway 88

SWF088 remains located approximately 24 kilometers north of Marten Beach. The wildfire did not experience any growth today. Heavy equipment continues to build containment lines supported by helicopters bucketing. Firefighters are working to extinguish hotspots to strengthen the containment lines. The wildfire is classified as burning out of control and is 10,448 hectares in size. 

A 4 hour evacuation notice in effect for the community of Marten Beach. Residents are advised to monitor the Alberta Emergency Alert website for detailed information and updates. 

Road Closures

Multiple highways in the Slave Lake Forest Area remain closed. For the most up-to-date information on road closures, visit 511 Alberta.

Edith Lake wildfire (SWF076)

The Edith Lake wildfire (SWF076) is located approximately 8 kilometres north of Swan Hills. The wildfire is currently classified as out of control and is approximately 17,573 hectares in size.

Today, firefighters, helicopters and heavy equipment focused on reinforcing containment lines along the south side of the wildfire and targeting hot spots. Cooler temperatures provided favourable conditions for wildfire suppression efforts.

Tonight, heavy equipment will continue strengthening containment lines along the southeast perimeter of the wildfire. Once this section is complete, work will shift to the northwest side. The east side is partially contained by an area that burned in 2023, which has less available fuel. Containment lines are designed to prevent wildfire spread; however, under windy conditions, the fire can spot across these lines.

Although are currently favourable, the wildfire is still active and the situation remains dynamic. Crews continue working in priority areas to prevent further spread.

Reminder: The operation of any aircraft, including drones, near a wildfire is illegal and poses a serious safety risk to firefighting personnel. Unauthorized flights can interfere with aerial suppression efforts and delay critical work.

Swan Hills Evacuation

While the wildfire has grown in size, its closest point to the community of Swan Hills has not changed at this time. Conditions on the wildfire are actively changing and the evacuation order remains in place. For the latest information, visit Alberta Emergency Alert.

High-volume water and sprinkler systems have been successfully installed in the community of Swan Hills. Sourced from nearby water supplies, these systems help protect homes and infrastructure by keeping surrounding areas wet and reducing the risk of fire spread.

Road closure

Highway 33 remains closed southbound from the highway 2 junction near Kinuso to highway 32, for the most up-to-date information visit 511 Alberta.

Alberta Parks Closure

Due to proximity to the wildfire, Edith Lake Provincial Recreation Area (PRA) and Chrystina Lake PRA are closed. For more information on this closure, see Alberta Parks closures. 

More information

The Edith Lake Wildfire is part of the Swan Complex (SCX002), which also includes the Hubert Lake Wildfire (WWF023). The Hubert Lake Wildfire is in the Whitecourt Lake Forest area. For more information, see the Whitecourt Forest Area Wildfire Update. For more information regarding the Swan Complex, contact Colby Lachance at (780) 286-4332 or [email protected].

Contact info

Leah Lovequist
780-849-0945
[email protected]