The wildfire danger in the Slave Lake Forest Area is expected to climb to “extreme” on Saturday, the highest level on the fire weather index.

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The elevated danger is due to “strong and gusty winds” that could cause a fire to burn intensely and spread quickly, according to Alberta Wildfire.

The northern part of the province is under a combination of “extreme” and “very high” fire danger.

The Fort McMurray Forest Area is “extreme” south of Lake Athabasca and “very high” north of the lake. Both the Lac La Biche Forest Area and the Peace River Forest Area are under an “extreme” wildfire danger.

“Temperatures will continue to rise, and the relative humidity will drop over the weekend creating cross-over conditions. These conditions can cause fire to spread easily and quickly,” according to Alberta Wildfire.

A fire ban and off-highway vehicle restriction is in place for the northern regions of the Slave Lake Forest Area, most of the Peace River Forest Area, all of the High Level Forest Area, the Fort McMurray Forest Area south of Lake Athabasca and the Lac La Biche Forest Area.

For the latest status on wildfires, bans and restrictions in Alberta, click here.

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