LAC LA BICHE - Efforts to control a fire in the Rich Lake area are taking place, according to information from Lac La Biche County, while hot, dry conditions continue to blanket the region.
"A number of local fires have been accidentally started by agricultural operations, including a large one burning out of control near Rich Lake," reads information from the municipality.
The fire, now labelled as LWF172, is considered out of control and is about 29 hectares in size, as of July 31.
It is located 11 km east of Highway 55 and 12 km southeast of Beaver Lake Cree Nation.
"Air tankers, helicopters with buckets, and heavy equipment are all making good progress in containing this fire, which has not grown in size today. A helicopter group will continue working the fire this evening," reads the Thursday statement from Lac La Biche County.
The fire is located within the Lac La Biche Forest Area where the wildfire danger is now listed as "extreme." Continued warm temperatures, dry conditions and little moisture are creating conditions "where wildfires can start and spread easily," according to information from Alberta Wildfire.
Information from Lac La Biche County states, "It's crucial for farmers to carry fire extinguishers, portable water sources and rakes with them to control any fires that may start while they're out working."
And, "If a wildfire does start, it may spread quickly and be more challenging to control," according to Alberta Wildfire.
Medley River
Also burning within the Lac La Biche Forest area is the Medley River fire, north of Cold Lake in the Air Weapons Range.
"This wildfire is now estimated at 4,683 ha in size and remains classified as out of control," according to Alberta Wildfire.
"This wildfire received a small amount of rain. While not enough to significantly reduce overall fire activity, the rainfall supported firefighting efforts on the north side of the fire. This reprieve helped limit further spread and contributed to reduced fire behaviour in that area," reads the July 31 update.
Visit albertafirebans.ca for information on fire bans or restrictions across the province.
