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The monster Chuckegg Creek fire site along with other areas still considered “active” is under close watch by officials as they gear up for this wildfire season.

The 2019 Chuckegg Creek fire burned over 350,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of 3,000 people from High Level last summer.

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“Usually when you see a fire of that size, it’s pretty standard practice for us to continue monitoring it over the winter and especially into the spring, just because a fire of that intensity and that size will burn sort of deep into the ground and it can smoulder all winter long,” said Travis Fairweather, wildfire information officer with the Government of Alberta.

“Even though it may not be showing any visible signs of activity, deep underground, there might be some heat and then when the spring comes around and the temperatures start to rise, you start to see some of that flare back up.”

Fairweather said what’s left of the fire can sit over winter and smoulder. Holdover fires can flare up when snowmelt occurs and then dried, cured grass begins to show on the surface of the ground.