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Mackenzie County fire, 12 May 2019 Mackenzie County, Northern Lights County, High Level

Out · last detection 14 Sept 2019, 09:50 UTC

The fire started on 12 May 2019 in Mackenzie County, Canada, and satellites saw it burning for 125 days. Canada’s CWFIS (Natural Resources Canada) mapped an official burnt perimeter of 335,032 hectares from satellite imagery, spread across 3 census subdivisions.

It is the 2th largest in Alberta since 2016 (of 243 with a page). The largest in Canada in 2019, of 97.

Burnt area
335,032ha
official perimeter (CWFIS)
Duration
125days
12 May 2019 – 13 Sept 2019
Municipalities hit
3
municipalities
Started on
12 May
2019
Heat detections
36,692
in a single hotspot: 1,101 MW
Danger at start
25
High · FWI index
Energy released
657.0GW
sum of detected power

Where it burned

14 Sept 2019
HOTSPOTS BY DAY 12 May13 Sept

How it evolved, day by day

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Fire radiative power detected each day, in megawatts, and number of hotspots. The magenta bar marks the peak day.

The weather it burned in

32°high
64km/h · peak gust
15%lowest humidity

It had gone 9 days without rain (1 mm or more) when it started.

This area had burned before

No earlier perimeters overlap this fire since 2016, when the satellite record begins.

What happened to each town

  1. Mackenzie County where it started
    267,158 ha reached on 17 May
    3.3 %
  2. Northern Lights County
    65,296 ha reached on 29 May
    3.1 %
  3. High Level
    308 ha reached on 24 May
    11 %

Burnt area inside each census subdivision, from crossing the official perimeter with administrative boundaries. The distance is from the town centre to the nearest fire: staying a kilometre away does not mean it reached the houses.

The weather day by day

ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis at the fire location, the standard reference for past weather, and the Canadian Fire Weather Index (the same system Copernicus uses), computed by WorldFires from that data. Days after the fire run until the first rain.

Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0) · Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5)

Day High Min. humidity Peak gust Rain Danger (FWI)
12 May 15.5 °C 22 % 60 km/h 0.4 mm High 25
13 May 10.5 °C 49 % 38 km/h 0.1 mm Moderate 14
14 May 12.8 °C 32 % 30 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 12
15 May 12.0 °C 29 % 34 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 16
16 May 13.5 °C 26 % 45 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 19
17 May 19.9 °C 19 % 49 km/h 0.0 mm High 25
18 May 20.9 °C 23 % 45 km/h 0.0 mm High 25
19 May 22.8 °C 17 % 46 km/h 0.0 mm High 29
20 May 23.6 °C 16 % 36 km/h 0.0 mm High 28
21 May 24.0 °C 15 % 33 km/h 0.0 mm High 28
22 May 22.2 °C 28 % 27 km/h 0.0 mm High 26
23 May 21.5 °C 24 % 26 km/h 0.0 mm High 26
24 May 21.0 °C 26 % 35 km/h 0.1 mm High 29
25 May 18.7 °C 15 % 31 km/h 0.0 mm High 29
26 May 26.0 °C 22 % 34 km/h 0.0 mm High 29
27 May 27.5 °C 22 % 24 km/h 0.0 mm High 26
28 May 31.8 °C 16 % 35 km/h 0.0 mm High 36
29 May 28.7 °C 17 % 54 km/h 0.0 mm Very high 46
30 May 16.7 °C 34 % 38 km/h 0.0 mm High 31
31 May 17.5 °C 48 % 48 km/h 0.5 mm High 25
1 Jun 23.4 °C 47 % 39 km/h 3.8 mm Low 6
2 Jun 19.5 °C 23 % 56 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 20
3 Jun 16.2 °C 44 % 42 km/h 0.2 mm Moderate 17
4 Jun 12.4 °C 45 % 42 km/h 1.9 mm Low 6
5 Jun 11.6 °C 51 % 36 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
6 Jun 12.0 °C 43 % 35 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 11
7 Jun 10.2 °C 41 % 41 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 14
8 Jun 11.4 °C 41 % 28 km/h 0.3 mm Moderate 14
9 Jun 18.0 °C 26 % 39 km/h 0.1 mm Moderate 21
10 Jun 19.6 °C 32 % 29 km/h 0.1 mm Moderate 20
11 Jun 22.1 °C 37 % 29 km/h 0.1 mm Moderate 20
12 Jun 25.7 °C 26 % 36 km/h 0.0 mm High 26
13 Jun 24.0 °C 35 % 28 km/h 0.9 mm Moderate 17
14 Jun 21.5 °C 51 % 35 km/h 5.9 mm Very low 3
15 Jun 25.2 °C 28 % 22 km/h 0.2 mm Moderate 12
16 Jun 28.7 °C 22 % 30 km/h 0.0 mm High 24
17 Jun 29.3 °C 28 % 46 km/h 0.5 mm High 28
18 Jun 23.4 °C 37 % 52 km/h 1.1 mm Moderate 20
19 Jun 17.3 °C 40 % 47 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 20
20 Jun 21.2 °C 40 % 47 km/h 2.3 mm Low 8
21 Jun 16.6 °C 59 % 35 km/h 0.7 mm Low 8
22 Jun 21.7 °C 38 % 24 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 13
23 Jun 21.3 °C 47 % 35 km/h 2.2 mm Low 6
24 Jun 20.9 °C 55 % 37 km/h 5.1 mm Very low 2
25 Jun 22.3 °C 49 % 32 km/h 3.0 mm Very low 2
26 Jun 24.2 °C 30 % 23 km/h 0.0 mm Low 7
27 Jun 21.4 °C 49 % 29 km/h 0.0 mm Low 11
28 Jun 23.2 °C 40 % 34 km/h 0.8 mm Moderate 13
29 Jun 22.5 °C 33 % 44 km/h 2.9 mm Low 5
30 Jun 23.4 °C 49 % 46 km/h 6.4 mm Very low 3
1 Jul 13.1 °C 42 % 64 km/h 2.1 mm Very low 4
2 Jul 20.4 °C 30 % 52 km/h 0.0 mm Low 11
3 Jul 19.8 °C 46 % 42 km/h 0.6 mm Low 10
4 Jul 18.3 °C 49 % 37 km/h 0.1 mm Low 10
5 Jul 23.2 °C 28 % 24 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 15
6 Jul 23.8 °C 31 % 30 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 17
7 Jul 20.9 °C 32 % 41 km/h 0.3 mm Moderate 20
8 Jul 15.8 °C 35 % 32 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 17
9 Jul 18.1 °C 36 % 27 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 16
10 Jul 20.6 °C 35 % 23 km/h 0.3 mm Moderate 17
11 Jul 26.0 °C 28 % 31 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 21
12 Jul 23.2 °C 49 % 42 km/h 0.7 mm Moderate 15
13 Jul 21.2 °C 47 % 26 km/h 0.1 mm Moderate 13
14 Jul 20.3 °C 46 % 38 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 16
15 Jul 25.3 °C 29 % 25 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 20
16 Jul 25.8 °C 36 % 35 km/h 0.5 mm High 22
17 Jul 26.3 °C 31 % 38 km/h 0.0 mm High 25
18 Jul 26.0 °C 40 % 40 km/h 5.6 mm Very low 4
19 Jul 25.7 °C 33 % 27 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 13
20 Jul 27.4 °C 32 % 29 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 19
21 Jul 28.0 °C 35 % 38 km/h 0.0 mm High 22
22 Jul 28.9 °C 40 % 21 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 20
23 Jul 29.8 °C 31 % 23 km/h 0.2 mm Moderate 21
24 Jul 24.3 °C 58 % 32 km/h 0.7 mm Moderate 14
25 Jul 22.1 °C 62 % 37 km/h 18.7 mm Very low 0
26 Jul 24.6 °C 35 % 46 km/h 0.7 mm Low 6
27 Jul 19.8 °C 64 % 37 km/h 7.0 mm Very low 0
28 Jul 20.0 °C 60 % 29 km/h 1.4 mm Very low 1
29 Jul 19.8 °C 43 % 32 km/h 2.3 mm Very low 2
30 Jul 20.0 °C 38 % 36 km/h 0.1 mm Low 6
31 Jul 20.8 °C 44 % 24 km/h 1.4 mm Very low 4
1 Aug 20.8 °C 57 % 25 km/h 0.2 mm Low 6
2 Aug 20.8 °C 47 % 25 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
3 Aug 22.7 °C 42 % 29 km/h 0.1 mm Low 10
4 Aug 26.4 °C 41 % 43 km/h 0.6 mm Moderate 13
5 Aug 19.3 °C 49 % 40 km/h 1.7 mm Very low 5
6 Aug 19.2 °C 32 % 28 km/h 0.0 mm Low 10
7 Aug 21.3 °C 49 % 34 km/h 1.8 mm Very low 5
8 Aug 12.8 °C 79 % 38 km/h 5.3 mm Very low 0
9 Aug 14.0 °C 45 % 41 km/h 1.4 mm Very low 1
10 Aug 18.3 °C 39 % 26 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 4
11 Aug 20.6 °C 37 % 21 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
12 Aug 22.6 °C 31 % 25 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 13
13 Aug 23.4 °C 37 % 24 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 14
14 Aug 25.7 °C 34 % 34 km/h 0.1 mm Moderate 16
15 Aug 19.2 °C 71 % 37 km/h 7.6 mm Very low 0
16 Aug 17.9 °C 23 % 61 km/h 0.2 mm Low 6
17 Aug 16.0 °C 32 % 32 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
18 Aug 12.9 °C 50 % 42 km/h 0.0 mm Low 10
19 Aug 13.3 °C 58 % 30 km/h 0.4 mm Low 8
20 Aug 21.7 °C 46 % 40 km/h 0.0 mm Low 11
21 Aug 25.8 °C 43 % 47 km/h 0.2 mm Moderate 15
22 Aug 18.6 °C 35 % 52 km/h 0.4 mm Moderate 17
23 Aug 19.0 °C 49 % 35 km/h 1.6 mm Very low 5
24 Aug 21.3 °C 45 % 21 km/h 0.6 mm Low 8
25 Aug 19.0 °C 60 % 32 km/h 4.1 mm Very low 1
26 Aug 18.7 °C 38 % 38 km/h 1.4 mm Very low 4
27 Aug 15.7 °C 61 % 30 km/h 0.4 mm Very low 4
28 Aug 17.1 °C 52 % 35 km/h 1.3 mm Very low 4
29 Aug 19.2 °C 40 % 23 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
30 Aug 20.1 °C 37 % 23 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 11
31 Aug 17.1 °C 49 % 27 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 12
1 Sept 18.0 °C 58 % 28 km/h 0.4 mm Low 10
2 Sept 19.9 °C 46 % 28 km/h 0.8 mm Low 9
3 Sept 23.8 °C 41 % 31 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 12
4 Sept 16.6 °C 75 % 26 km/h 16.1 mm Very low 0
5 Sept 19.3 °C 44 % 31 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
6 Sept 20.0 °C 48 % 24 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 3
7 Sept 14.1 °C 72 % 28 km/h 2.0 mm Very low 1
8 Sept 14.6 °C 45 % 30 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
9 Sept 15.3 °C 43 % 35 km/h 0.0 mm Low 5
10 Sept 16.5 °C 37 % 31 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
11 Sept 16.3 °C 49 % 38 km/h 0.0 mm Low 9
12 Sept 21.8 °C 43 % 34 km/h 0.0 mm Low 10
13 Sept 18.9 °C 52 % 32 km/h 2.2 mm Very low 2
14 Sept after 19.7 °C 45 % 28 km/h 0.0 mm Low 6
15 Sept after 13.6 °C 68 % 30 km/h 6.4 mm Very low 0
16 Sept after 10.4 °C 85 % 31 km/h 9.7 mm Very low 0
17 Sept after 15.2 °C 49 % 16 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
18 Sept after 16.9 °C 48 % 27 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
19 Sept after 16.1 °C 56 % 34 km/h 0.2 mm Very low 2
20 Sept after 16.0 °C 53 % 41 km/h 0.1 mm Very low 4
21 Sept after 22.0 °C 46 % 31 km/h 0.0 mm Low 6
22 Sept after 20.0 °C 42 % 34 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
23 Sept after 15.0 °C 36 % 48 km/h 0.2 mm Low 10
24 Sept after 13.6 °C 49 % 20 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
25 Sept after 12.7 °C 42 % 31 km/h 0.0 mm Low 9
26 Sept after 10.9 °C 43 % 40 km/h 0.0 mm Low 10
27 Sept after 6.9 °C 38 % 39 km/h 0.0 mm Low 10
28 Sept after 5.5 °C 41 % 19 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
29 Sept after 7.0 °C 33 % 34 km/h 0.0 mm Low 10
30 Sept after 8.1 °C 43 % 43 km/h 0.0 mm Low 10

Before and after, from space

Drag the line to compare the same ground before the fire and after it.

Before · 5 May 2019
After · 20 Sept 2019

If the day is cloudy, change the date: each satellite passes once a day. In false colour the burnt ground looks brown or red.

Detections table · 36,692Every satellite heat detection, one by one, with time, satellite, power and coordinates.
⬇ Download CSV Times in UTC. Each detection is a 375 m pixel: a large fire yields hundreds per pass.
Date and timeSatelliteFRP (MW)LatLon

Frequently asked questions

How long did the Mackenzie County fire last?
It burned between 12 May 2019 and 13 September 2019: 125 days, according to the dates recorded by Canada’s CWFIS and the heat detections seen by satellite.
How much area did it burn?
The official perimeter mapped by Canada’s CWFIS (Natural Resources Canada) is 335,032 hectares (3,350.3 km²). Other tallies, such as those of provincial agencies, may give slightly different figures.
Which census subdivisions burned?
The fire entered 3 census subdivisions: Mackenzie County (267,158 ha, 3.3 %); Northern Lights County (65,296 ha, 3.1 %); High Level (308 ha, 11 %).
What was the weather like?
During the fire the temperature reached 31.8 °C, humidity dropped to 15 % and gusts hit 64 km/h. The fire danger index (FWI) reached 46, class Very high.
Where does this data come from?
From the official burnt perimeter of Canada’s CWFIS (NBAC, Natural Resources Canada) or, for the current season and until NBAC publishes it, the one rebuilt by GWIS (Copernicus); from NASA FIRMS VIIRS hotspots; and from the administrative boundaries of Canada. It is not an official report.

Where to verify it

A satellite detection is not an official report. Final figures and the fire’s status are published by each country’s emergency service.

Emergency number: 911

Satellite cross-check

Does something look wrong on this page?

This page is built from satellite data and official records, and it sometimes gets things wrong: the wrong dates, the wrong town, two fires merged into one, or something that was not a wildfire at all. If you know this fire first-hand (you live nearby, saw it, fought it or reported on it), tell us what really happened and we will check it.

Report an error
What do you think is wrong?

We will only use your email to reply about this report. Privacy. This is not an emergency service: if there is a fire now, call 911.

Where this data comes from

The perimeter is official: it comes from the National Burned Area Composite (NBAC) of the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (CWFIS), Natural Resources Canada, which maps it on satellite imagery and publishes it under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Until NBAC publishes the current season, this year’s fires carry the perimeter rebuilt from heat detections by GWIS (Copernicus, CC BY 4.0), which is approximate. Heat detections come from the VIIRS sensors aboard Suomi-NPP and NOAA-20, distributed by NASA FIRMS at 375 m resolution. Census subdivision boundaries come from geoBoundaries ADM3 (Open Data Commons Open Database License 1.0). The area per census subdivision is computed by WorldFires by crossing the perimeter with those boundaries, so it may differ slightly from official figures.