Fire ban in parts of Alberta forest protection area to be lifted Monday after wet weather: officials

An Alberta Wildfire firefighter. (Source: Alberta Wildfire)

A fire ban that has been in place since July 10 for Alberta's forest protection area will be lifted at 4 p.m. Monday in a number of areas in the province, Alberta Wildfire announced in its daily update.

The ban will stay in place in northern Alberta, including the High Level and Fort McMurray forest areas, as well as in the Rocky Mountain House and Calgary forest areas in the south.

A fire restriction will stay in place for areas around Grande Prairie, Whitecourt, Edson, and Slave Lake.

The decision was made because of recent rain in the province.

"This does not mean the fire season is over. This is a critical time to be diligent when we're enjoying the outdoors," Melissa Story of Alberta Wildfire said when announcing the ban was being rescinded.

"On average, 67 per cent of wildfires are human caused and completely preventable. We all have a role to play in wildfire prevention."

Story said the rain has also helped firefighters extinguish some of the wildfires that have been burning in the province since 2023.

"Crews are busily taking advantage of the milder conditions over the weekend, and have successfully extinguished two of the wildfires that were still active from the 2023 wildfire season," she said.

"The Long Lake Complex and the Basset Complex that burned for over a year are now officially extinguished."

The Long Lake Complex burned in northern Alberta near the communities of High Level, Rainbow Lake, and Chateh.

The Basset Complex was in the area of the Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement.

As of Monday afternoon, there are 123 fires burning in the forest protection area of Alberta with 24 considered out of control.

One of the fires burning on Monday started in 2023.

Firefighting resources have arrived from across the world to help with the wildfire situation in Alberta.

There are 100 firefighters from Mexico, 23 from the United States, 55 from Australia, and 200 from South Africa.

They have been deployed throughout the province.