UPDATED at 5:15 p.m. on May 19, 2023
An Evacuation Order has been expanded for areas east of Shining Bank Lake in Yellowhead County.
According to Alberta Emergency Alert, the Evacuation Order is for:
North of the CN Rail Line above Niton, east of Highway 32, south of Township Rd 570, east to Range Rd 130, south to Township Rd 561, and east of Range Rd 110.
Residents in this area need to evacuate. There is a wildfire east of Shining Bank Lake.
(Yellowhead County)
Evacuation routes: south on Range Rd 130 or Highway 32, west on Highway 748 or south on Highway 751. Reception Centre is Holiday Inn in Edson (4520 2 Ave). Register at the Reception Centre. Or call 1-833-334-4630 for evacuee registration information.
Reception Centre hours for the weekend:
Friday, May 19 – Monday, May 22
- Open 8:00 a.m.
- Closed 7:00 p.m.
For after-hours assistance, please call 1-833-334-4630.
Everyone in the affected area needs to evacuate. Gather pets, important documents, medication, food, water, and supplies for at least three days. Go to www.alberta.ca/emergencyalert, local media for updates.
A Wildfire Alert remains in effect for Carrot Creek, Niton, and the Mackay areas of Yellowhead County.
According to Alberta Emergency Alert, the Evacuation Alert is for everyone in the area:
North of Highway 16 to south of Township Rd 550, east of Highway 32 to west of Highway 751. This includes the community of Niton Junction.
(Alberta Emergency Alert)
Residents in this area need to prepare to evacuate. There is a wildfire east of Shining Bank Lake. Please call 1-833-334-4630 for more information.
Everyone in the affected area must prepare for a possible evacuation. Gather pets, important documents, medication, food, water, and supplies for at least three days. This alert will be updated if an evacuation is required. Go to www.alberta.ca/emergencyalert, for updates.
Information Session for Yellowhead County Residents: May 19, 2023, 2:00 p.m.
An information session for current evacuees and all Yellowhead County residents. The meeting includes an update from Mayor Wade Williams and Yellowhead County Fire Chief Albert Bahri.
The next Live Information update will be held on Monday, May 22, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.
* In-Person Holiday Inn, Edson or Online Live *
Live Online on Yellowhead County Facebook page – Yellowhead County
You do not need a Facebook account to watch – open a web browser and copy and paste the above link. Open to the Public & Media.
According to Alberta Wildfire on May 19, 2023:
- Wildfires WCU-001 and WCU-002 are in the area of Evansburg, Entwistle, Wildwood, Lobstick and Hansonville. They are classified as out of control 7,281 hectares (WCU001) and 2,401 hectares (WCU002).
- Wildfire EWF-035 is located 3 km southeast of Shining Bank and is classified as out of control at 5,952 hectares.
- Wildfire EWF-031 is located 25 km west of Lodgepole, 20 km northwest of Brazeau Dam and 14 km southeast of Edson. It is still classified as out of control at 82,666 hectares.
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An Evacuation Order remains in full effect for the Town of Swan Hills.
According to Alberta Emergency Alert, Wildfire SWF 063 is still encroaching the town from the northwest. It is estimated to be 13.4 km from town.
A reminder to evacuees, there is currently no re-entry into the community at this time. A reception center is set up and located at the Barrhead Agrena located at 5607 47 Street in Barrhead. All evacuees are encouraged to register at the reception center. To register by phone call 1-825-977-4382 or 1-825-977-1462. Follow www.alberta.ca/emergencyalert and local media for updates.
According to the Town of Swan Hills on May 18, 2023:
“The Town of Swan Hills Emergency Management Team and Incident command Centre remain activated. The local fire department, wildfire teams, and many mutual aid partners continue to work around the community to provide protection and safety.
We wish to thank all of our partners and the Barrhead Reception Centre for all their help.
Note: We have been notified that Highway 33 North of Swan Hills to the Highway 2 intersection (Kinuso Corner) has been closed by Alberta Transportation due to the SWF 057 fire North of Town.
The Fire Department will be installing structure protection measures to various structures in the community as well as FireSmarting (relocating flammable materials) areas potentially in or around residential yards. This can require fire department representatives to enter yards. They are there to protect and mitigate property damage.”
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An Evacuation Order remains in effect for areas of the Municipal District of Greenview.
According to Alberta Emergency Alert, the Evacuation Order is in effect for Fox Creek to Little Smoky and all areas immediately surrounding these communities up to Highway 947.
Including Townships 65-25-5, 64-25-5, 63-25-5, 62-25-5, 65-24-5, 64-24-5, 63-24-5, 62-24-5, 65-23-5, 64-23-5, 63-23-5, 62-23-5, 65-22-5, 64-22-5, 63-22-5, 62-22-5, 65-21-5, 64-21-5, 63-21-5, 62-21-5.
A wildfire has forced the evacuation of the entire Town of Fox Creek, Hamlet of Little Smoky and surrounding areas. A reception Centre is located at the Allan and Jean Millar Centre at 58 Sunset Blvd in Whitecourt. Evacuees are required to register.
For highway closures, check 511Alberta. Stay tuned to local media or call 780-524-6584 for assistance.
Residents between Township Road 683 and 670 and Range Road 232 and 211 must prepare to evacuate on a 1-hour notice.
According to Alberta Wildfire on May 19, 2023:
- Wildfire WWF-023 is located 1 km from Fox Creek and 10.5 km from Little Smoky. It is classified as out of control at 58,858 hectares.
According to the MD of Greenview on May 18, 2023:
“WWF023 (Eagle Fire) was detected on May 5, is burning out of control and estimated at 55,020.4 ha. The wildfire reached the established containment line at the north of the town of Fox Creek and the line is holding steady. The fire remains 10.5 km southeast of Little Smoky.
Resources allocated to this fire include 52 firefighters, a structural protection unit and the Fox Creek Fire Department. Equipment includes 4 intermediate helicopters with 1 assessor, 3 medium helicopters with buckets and 2 heavy helicopters, as well as dozer heavy equipment groups. The CH-47 Chinook is one of the most capable firefighting helicopters available today.
Partners from other jurisdictions include an Incident Management Team from Ontario, Helitack crew members from Oregon and Cypress Hills, 50 military personnel, as well as a pre-suppression crew from Quebec to assist with firefighting efforts.
Established Fox Creek structural protection includes protection for all critical infrastructure, containment guards established by dozers groups with support from industry, along with wet sprinklers as further assistance for the containment guards, and ground retardant has been applied around the community perimeter, with support from industry.
Additionally, three structural groups from municipalities in the Alberta Wildland Urban Interface Fire Structure Protection Program have been working together on structural protection for the community. Crews will continue searching for hotspots on an ongoing basis.
Wildfires burn very hot and will burn into the ground. The situation remains ever-changing and conditions on the fire line will continue to vary due to forecasted weather. Growth was observed on this fire on May 17. However, containment lines to the north of town continue to hold up to prevent the wildfire from spreading further into the community of Fox Creek.
The fire is burning on the surface of the ground but also climbing into the trees and creating a crown fire. Grasses and other fuels remain dry. High temperatures and dry conditions are anticipated to continue this week. Little or no precipitation is expected.
To view the latest public map of WWF023, click here.
A fire and off-highway vehicle ban is still in effect due to extremely dry conditions. This includes a ban on fireworks and exploding targets.”
Additional information: LittleSmoky_Fire_EvacMay2023-New.jpg, http://www.alberta.ca/emergencyalert, http://www.alberta.ca/BePrepared, https://mdgreenview.ab.ca/, https://511.alberta.ca/
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A Wildfire Alert remains in place for a southern portion of Woodlands County.
According to Alberta Emergency Alert, this alert is in effect for everyone in the area:
North of Township Rd 561, west of Range Road 120, south of Groat Creek Road, Twp Rd 584 west of the McLeod River, to RR 144 east of the McLeod River, to RR 123 at Whitecourt Mountain.
There is a wildfire south of Township Road 570, west of RR 123, north of Twp Rd 560 and east of Shining Bank. No evacuation is required currently. However, with worsening weather conditions, this fire could force evacuation of the affected area.
Everyone in the affected area must prepare for a possible evacuation. Gather pets, important documents and medication, enough food, water and supplies for at least three days. This alert will be updated if an evacuation is required. Stay tuned to www.alberta.ca/emergencyalert, local media for updates.
According to Woodlands County on May 18, 2023:
“CYZU Airport is a busy place, with ongoing activity from several agencies supporting Alberta Wildfire efforts. While the equipment is incredible to see, please be aware that operations on airport lands are ongoing, and crews actively use this space.
If you are heading to CYZU Airport to catch a glimpse of the amazing aircraft, you must stay in the public areas and not enter Local Traffic Only areas. The safety of airport operators is a priority. CYZU Airport is located 6km southwest of Whitecourt on Hwy 32.
Our communities have welcomed Americans, Canadian Armed Forces, and other Canadian province crews to our region to support the incredible number of active incidents. Continued hospitality to crews, evacuees, and support teams is needed to press through these challenging times.
An incident management team from the U.S Forest Service along with many of their firefighters have arrived on May 14 to assist our area with one of the three wildfire complexes in the area. We want to thank our American friends for coming to assist us.
A special arrangement has been in place for many years between Canada, the U.S, Australia and other countries that have similar firefighting training standards. We take safety and training very seriously and always seek to improve our operations.”
Also of note, the dock at Goose Lake is open but the opening of Blue Ridge’s Berry Nice Spray Park is delayed. Staff hope to have it ready by next weekend.
Additional information: Zone-1-EWF035-11-May-2023.png, http://alberta.ca/BePrepared, https://woodlands.ab.ca/
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An Evacuation Notice remains in effect for certain areas of Brazeau County.
According to Alberta Emergency Alert, residents within the designated area must be ready to evacuate within 30 minutes.
(Brazeau County)
The mandatory evacuation order, however, has been lifted for all areas in Brazeau County.
If you are returning home, drive with caution and follow Drayton Valley and Brazeau County social media for updates and resources on re-entry.
Drayton Valley/Brazeau County Fire Chief Tom Thomson shows an example of an active fire in the burn area that is being monitored but is being allowed to burn.
Watch: https://www.facebook.com/townofdraytonvalley/videos/759522925959662
There is not direct threat as there are no “values” or structures nearby that are at risk. If you are concerned about a fire like this that is within the burn area and within 30 metres or 100 feet of a dwelling, please call 780-202-FIRE (3473).
According to Brazeau County on May 19, 2023:
“The fire danger is extreme in northern Alberta with hot, dry conditions expected to persist over the coming days. There is a risk of wildfire throughout the province, with a moderate to high fire danger in the southern Rockies. A fire ban and an off-highway vehicle restriction are in place across the Forest Protection Area.
Albertans are asked to restrict recreation activities on public land in northwest Alberta due to wildfire risk. This includes the Edson, Grande Prairie, High Level, Peace River, Slave Lake and Whitecourt forest areas. It also applies to the Rocky Mountain House Forest Area located north of Highway 11.
Outdoor recreation, including activities like backcountry camping, mountain biking and hiking, in these areas is not recommended. Some sites have been directly affected by wildfire while others are at risk due to their proximity to active wildfires and forecasted conditions.
In addition, several provincial parks, provincial recreation areas and campgrounds in areas where the fire danger is high are closed. Campers with reservations in affected areas will receive a refund.
Park closures
- Young’s Point Provincial Park
- Williamson Provincial Park
- Smoke Lake Provincial Recreation Area
- Saskatoon Island Provincial Park
- Winagami Lake Provincial Park
- Brazeau Reservoir Provincial Recreation Area
- Two Lakes Provincial Park
- Iosegun Lake Provincial Recreation Area
- Waskahigan River Provincial Recreation Area
- Blue Rapids Provincial Recreation Area
- Minnow Lake Provincial Recreation Area
- Wolf Lake West Provincial Recreation Area
Several other sites are being closely monitored. More closures may be announced over the coming days. The list of closures will continue to be updated online.
Conservation officers will be increasing patrols to ensure compliance with active wildfire-related restrictions, closures and fire bans.”
Please note the Brazeau County Administration Building will be closed on Monday, May 22 (Victoria Day). Emergency operations will continue, but regular municipal functions will resume Tuesday.
Additional information: May18map.JPG
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A Mandatory Evacuation Order for the Town of Valleyview has now been lifted.
According to Alberta Emergency Alert, the Mandatory Evacuation Order was downgraded to an Evacuation Alert at noon on Thursday. Residents may now re-enter the community.
This alert is in effect for everyone in the Town of Valleyview. Be prepared to evacuate town within four hours if conditions change.
Heavy smoke remains present, affecting visibility. Motorists are advised to exercise caution while driving. Those with respiratory or mobility issues are advised to seek medical advice prior to re-entry.
A Message from the mayor, May 19, 2023.
A message from Danny McCallum, Fire Chief, Valleyview Fire Department.
Valleyview Landfill Closed Temporarily – Due to wildfires in the area, the Valleyview Landfill is closed until Saturday, May 27, 2023.
For more information, call the Public Works Department, (780) 524-5155.
Visit valleyview.ca for re-entry information.
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- If you’ve been affected by the wildfires, you don’t have to face the stress alone.
- Accessible mental health support is available across Alberta.
- Cost is not a barrier.
- You can start talking to someone immediately and from wherever you are with easy online appointments.
- Get help seeing through the smoke. Call 833-827-4230 or visit counsellingalberta.com.
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