Out-of-control wildfires in two regions of northern Alberta have prompted evacuation orders and alerts, forcing some residents to vacate their homes while others remain on standby.
A wildfire in the County of Grande Prairie has triggered the evacuation of several subdivisions and rural properties while a state of local emergency has been declared in Sturgeon County after an out-of-control wildfire destroyed one house and forced some residents to evacuate their homes.
Grande Prairie
County Regional Fire Service and Alberta Wildfire are battling a blaze southwest of the city of 65,000 as it burns east toward Highway 40, the Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership (GPREP) said in a May 4
advisory.
The city’s fire crews and Alberta Wildfire firefighters responded to reports of a wildfire near Deer Ridge Estates at Range Road 64 late in the afternoon on May 4, the County of Grande Prairie said in a
press release.
Residents south of Township Road 710 to 27 Avenue and East of Range Road 64 to Highway 40 in the County of Grande Prairie were
ordered to evacuate at 5:30 p.m. local time.
No homes had been destroyed as of 8:30 a.m. on May 5 and the County Regional Fire Service and Alberta Wildfire had made “significant progress” to contain the blaze using fire retardant dropped by air tankers and a dozer guard, the GPREP said, noting that the fire was 90 percent contained.
“Today, ground fire crews and the Alberta Wildfire bucketing helicopter will focus on extinguishing hotspots. No homes or structures, such as outbuildings and sheds, were destroyed by the fire,” the group said. “Today’s relative humidity will create crossover conditions and may challenge the progress made on Sunday.”
The risk of wildfires in the region remains very high due to dry grass and vegetation creating potentially severe conditions for firefighters, the province
said. Crews are
expected to face clear skies with an afternoon high of 18 degrees Celsius and 40 kilometre per hour wind gusts.
The RCMP has also been on scene to help with evacuations and to enforce road closures.
Evacuees have been
advised to take important documents, medication, and medical devices with them from their homes before checking in with officials at the Pomeroy Hotel in Grande Prairie.
A fire ban was put in place May 5 for the entire county, along with the towns of Beaverlodge, Sexsmith, and Wembley.
Sturgeon County
RCMP officers from Redwater, Fort Saskatchewan, and Strathcona County
responded to the Redwater Provincial Recreation Area in Sturgeon County late on May 3 to help with evacuations, Alberta RCMP said in a social media
post.
RCMP didn’t say how many people were asked to leave their homes, but many more residents in the municipality north of Edmonton remain under an evacuation
advisory.
Sturgeon County issued the evacuation notice late on May 3, advising residents to be ready to leave should conditions deteriorate.
The
advisory affects residents in the vicinity of the Redwater Provincial Recreation Area, located approximately 60 kilometres northeast of Edmonton. The region affected combines both forest and agricultural land and is not densely populated.
A state of local emergency was declared by the county just after midnight local time and Sturgeon County Mayor Alanna Hnatiw issued a
statement asking all residents to stay away from the affected area and to comply with the fire ban. She also expressed sympathy to the owners of the home that burned in the blaze.
“I am deeply saddened to learn that a home has been lost in this devastating fire, and I wish to express my sympathies during this incredibly difficult time,” she said. “Please know that the entire community stands with you and everyone affected by the wildfire, offering our support as you face the challenges ahead.”
The fire was first reported on the evening of May 3 at Range Road 205 and Victoria Trail and had spread across 110 hectares by 12:30 a.m. on May 4, the county said in an
update on its website. By early afternoon the fire had grown to 388 hectares (959 acres) in size.
Ground and air crews, including three aerial firefighting helicopters, were on scene to battle the blaze and the provincial wildfire resource branch was also dispatched to support wildland firefighting efforts, the county said.
The wildfire was 70 percent contained around its borders, as of 8 p.m. on May 4 and was no longer growing but was still considered to be out of control, the county said.
It had not issued a May 5 update as of publication.
Crews can
expect clear skies with an afternoon high of 17 degrees Celsius and wind gusts of 20 kilometre per hour.
