The Paskwa Fire burning near Fox Lake. Photo from the High Level Forest Area Wildfire Information Office.

By Curtis Galbraith

Wildfires

Wildfire updates from Clear Hills County, along with the Peace River, Slave Lake, Whitecourt and High Level Forest Areas

May 10, 2023 | 4:22 PM

Clear Hills County says on Facebook that the wildfire on the Peace River bank five kilometers from Cleardale is now 90 per cent held. Ground crews continue fighting the blaze and fields to the north are being tilled to keep it from spreading.

The Boundary Lake/Bear Canyon fire has burned 1300 hectares on the Alberta side. The BC Wildfire Service says it has burned 5900 hectares in BC. BC firefighters are trying to finish some backburning before the hot weather returns. The county’s post also says smoke is leading to poor visibility along Highway 64 in that area.

A fire in the Clear Prairie area is 99 per cent held. Guards are in place and the fire is staying within boundaries.

Seven other fires are being held or under control.

The Peace River Forest Area says it has two other out-of-control wildfires besides the one in the Cleardale area that has burned over 10,500 hectares.

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One located 17 kilometers northeast of Three Creeks has burned over 6200 hectares and has crossed a haul road.

Another fire that started in the Slave Lake Forest Area has burned over 23,700 hectares.

The Slave Lake Forest Area has two fire complexes, one that includes three fires, and another with two.

The three fires in the Grizzly Complex include a fire located south of High Prairie and another along the southwest side of Grizzly Ridge Wildland Provincial Park. A 200-person camp is being put together to help fight these fires.

The two fires in the other complex include one located 2.3 kilometers from the border of Whitefish Lake First Nation. The other is burning northwest of the Peavine Metis Settlement. There has been little growth on the first and firefighters are putting out hotspots on the second.

In the Whitecourt Forest Area, an out of control wildfire 16 kilometres northeast of Fox Creek has burned 21,568 hectares and is still out of control.

The head of the fire is two kilometres east of Highway 43.

Fire crews from Cypress Hills, Quebec and Oregon have joined firefighting efforts.

These crews are working to keep the blaze from getting any closer to Fox Creek and Little Smoky, both of which have been evacuated.

The fire has been slowed by precipitation in recent days.

In the High Level Forest Area, the fire in Fox Lake that has forced evacuations and destroyed homes has now burned just under 22,000 hectares. It has been very active and spreading east but that spread has not threatened Fox Lake.

A fire in the Rainbow Lake area has burned just under 19,000 hectares. Fire watchers say this blaze was very active on Tuesday as it spread into areas with heavier fuels.

Helicopters with water buckets and firefighters continue to work to keep it from spreading.