Crews report they have made progress containing the wildfire on the northeastern side of Wood Buffalo near the Whooping Crane nesting area. Bucketing helicopters were used to try to contain the fire along its north and south borders.
The wildfire, located about 21 kilometres northeast of Highway 5, was last estimated at about 53,124 hectares
On Wednesday, improved flying conditions allowed aerial and ground operations to resume on the Klewi complex portion of the fire.
Currently, the priority remains to prevent the spread of the fire that remains out of control.
Crews plan to action hot spots in the coming days to reduce the chance of fire spreading north.
There has been a recent increase in the number of firefighters and other crew members working to respond to the blaze due to transition from crews reaching maximum time in the field prepare for relief. By midweek, 195 personnel, 12 helicopters and five fuel bowsers were deployed in response to the wildfire.
While recent precipitation reduced fire activity throughout the wildfire area, long-term drought conditions mean more precipitation is needed to mitigate risks
“Although decreased temperatures and increased humidity are favourable for wildland firefighting efforts, these conditions are not uniform across the fire perimeter. Certain areas are receiving more precipitation than others,” explained fire officials.
“Long-term drought conditions in the area mean substantial precipitation is required to meaningfully change the fire situation,” they added.
The latest available updates on the fire can be found on the WBNP Fire Status Dashboard or by contacting 867-872-0443. Updates are also available on www.nwtfire.com
