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By rdnewsNOW Staff

FOREST PROTECTION AREA UNDER FIRE BAN

Alberta wildfire information update

Jul 12, 2024 | 4:18 PM

Hot and dry weather conditions continue to drive significant wildfire activity in the Forest Protection Area. The government urges Albertans to follow all fire bans and restrictions to avoid new fire starts.

Alberta Emergency Alerts

• As of July 12, at 1 p.m., there are no new emergency alerts in effect.
• An evacuation order remains in place for the 981 residents of Garden River.
• Little Red River Cree Nation has declared a State of Local Emergency via Band Council Resolution.
  • Currently, there is no immediate threat of the wildfire reaching the community.
  • The response continues to be led by Little Red River Cree Nation with Alberta Emergency Management Agency First Nations field officers providing support.
• Parkland County issued a Wildfire advisory on July 11 that was cancelled on the same day at 8:54 p.m. There is a wildfire in the Jackpine Grazing Reserve and crews were on scene to keep the fire held. This advisory remains in effect for everyone west of highway 31, south of highway 16, east of Range Road 70 and north of township road 522.

Current Situation

• An evacuation order remains in effect for the Garden River community.
  • HWF061 is classified as out of control at more than 46,000 hectares in size, and it is still approximately 8 km from highway 58 and 30 km northwest of Garden River.
  • Firefighters, helicopters and heavy equipment are actively responding to this wildfire.
• Since January 1, there have been 732 wildfires recorded in the Forest Protection Area that have burned more than 254,000 hectares.
• Of these wildfires, 31 are classified as out of control, 34 are being held, 35 are under control and 631 have been extinguished.
• As of July 12, there are four wildfires of note in the Forest Protection Area. Information on these wildfires can be found by visiting the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.

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Fire Bans

• A fire ban is in place for the entire Forest Protection Area of Alberta.
• Cities, towns, villages and summer villages, as well as federal lands such as national parks, are exempt from this ban.
• These jurisdictions have the authority to issue their own bans and may have complementary bans in place.
• Albertans should visit the website or social media for their local municipality to confirm if a fire ban is in effect in their area.

Support for Evacuees

People who have been evacuated from their homes for seven or more days can apply for a one-time emergency evacuation payment. Eligible evacuees will receive $1,250 per adult and an additional $500 per dependent child under 18.

Roads and Highways

• Garden River is not in any immediate danger; however, the Highway 58 access to Garden River is the concern.
• There are currently no highway closures.

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