High Level is now under a fire advisory as of 3:00 p.m. on June 25, 2026, after hot and dry conditions pushed the local fire danger rating to “very high.” The advisory, issued through a partnership between the Town of High Level and Alberta Wildfire, aims to keep residents safe as temperatures climb and new wildfires burn nearby.
Residents with existing permitted fire pits can still use them, but must be extremely careful. The town will not issue any new fire permits while the advisory remains in place. If the weather keeps getting hotter and drier, the advisory could turn into a full fire ban on the advice of Alberta Wildfire.
The change comes as Environment Canada issued a heat warning for northwestern Alberta, with temperatures expected to hit 31°C. On June 23, a lightning storm sparked 14 new wildfires in Mackenzie County, and five of them were still listed as out of control a day later. High Level itself has a “very high” fire danger rating, according to Alberta Wildfire provincial information officer Melissa Story.
“Anyone with a campfire should make sure a water source is nearby,” said Deputy Fire Chief Scott Smith. He also asked residents to stay hydrated, check on family and neighbours, and report any dangerous fire activity right away.
High Level is no stranger to wildfire threats. The town sits in the boreal forest about 740 kilometres northwest of Edmonton and has a Wildland Urban Interface crew, one of only eight in Alberta, that works to protect homes and reduce hazards. The region is still scarred by the 2019 Chuckegg Creek wildfire, which burned more than 350,000 hectares and smouldered for over a year.
