Courtesy: Government of Alberta
Recent rainfall in central Alberta has supported wildfire fighting efforts, however conditions in the north remain warm and dry.
Current situation (as of 3:30 p.m., June 24)
- There are 51 wildfires currently burning across Alberta in the Forest Protection Area, and four mutual aid fires.
- 18 are classified as out of control, four are being held and 29 are under control.
- There has been one new wildfire since yesterday.
- Since Jan. 1, there have been 594 wildfires in the Forest Protection Area, burning more than 670,000 hectares.
- More than 1,500 Alberta firefighters, contract firefighters and imported firefighters are currently battling wildfires across the province.
- Resources currently being used include heavy equipment, air tankers, helicopters and night vision helicopters.
- Alberta has imported firefighters and aircraft from Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Canadian Forest Service, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, Australia, Costa Rica, Washington and the United States Forest Service.
- Information about wildfires can be found by visiting the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.
Orders and alerts
- Updates on evacuation orders are available on www.alberta.ca/emergency.
- On June 25, the Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17 will lift its evacuation order for Red Earth Creek, allowing all residents to return home. Residents of Red Earth Creek must remain prepared to evacuate again if conditions change.
- On June 25, the Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council will lift its evacuation order for Loon River First Nation (Loon Lake), allowing all residents to return home. Residents of Loon Lake must remain prepared to evacuate again if conditions change.
- On June 23, Saddle Hills County lifted its evacuation order. Those in the Blueberry Mountain area should remain prepared to evacuate if needed.
- The Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council’s evacuation orders for Peerless Lake and Trout Lake remain in effect.
- Registration centre at 10451 170 Street, Edmonton.
- The Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17’s evacuation order for Chipewyan Lake also remains in effect.
- Reception centre at Lakeview Sports Centre, 102 Opportunity Drive, Wabasca-Desmarais.
- The Dene Tha’ First Nation’s evacuation alert for the community of Chateh remains in effect.
- Alberta Emergency Alerts are issued by local authorities and are updated at their discretion. For the best source of information on the status of evacuation orders and alerts, residents are encouraged to follow their local authorities’ preferred communication channels for updates.
- People living in Alberta are encouraged to download the Alberta Emergency Alert mobile app, which immediately pushes all alerts out to subscribers.
Fire bans
- A fire ban is in effect for the High Level Forest Area as well as parts of the Fort McMurray Forest Area.
- Under this ban, all outdoor wood fires, barbecue charcoal briquettes, fireworks and exploding targets are prohibited, and existing fire permits are suspended.
- Please confirm advisories, restrictions or bans for your area at alberta.ca/fire-bans.
- Fire bans outside the Forest Protection Area are the responsibility of municipalities and counties.
- Everyone has a role to play in wildfire prevention. Follow all fire bans and restrictions to avoid new fire starts. If you see smoke or flames in the forest, call 310-FIRE to report it.
- Applying FireSmart principles to homes and property can mitigate the risk of wildfire damage. Removing flammable materials and vegetation around the property and preventing embers from accumulating can help protect your home from wildfires. To learn more, visit FireSmart Alberta.
Air quality
- Visit Wildfire Smoke Information for air quality monitoring information to make informed decisions about outdoor activities to protect your health. While wildfire smoke is affecting air quality in parts of Alberta, the presence of smoke does not necessarily mean there is fire near your community. Find information about the status of active wildfires and wildfire updates at Alberta Wildfire.
Roads and highways
- Highway 686 between Red Earth Creek and Trout Lake is closed due to a wildfire.
- 511 Alberta is the best source of real time information as conditions change on our highways. Follow on X (formerly known as Twitter) @511alberta.
- Alberta highways that are affected by the wildfires will open and close frequently depending on safety and weather conditions. Be patient and respect the staff at the closure/detour sites – they are there with your safety in mind.
Health
- Due to the ongoing evacuation in Red Earth Creek, public health services in that area remain suspended.
- For information about wildfire resources, including mental health, visit Wildfire Resources | Alberta Health Services.
Education
- Six schools are currently closed in response to community evacuations:
- Dene Tha’ Community School, in Chateh
- Kateri School, in Trout Lake
- Elizabeth Quintal School, in Peerless Lake
- Clarence Jaycox School, in Loon Lake
- Red Earth Creek School, in Red Earth Creek
- Chipewyan Lake School, in Chipewyan Lake
- Swan Hills School, in Swan Hills, reopened on Monday, June 9.
- Parents and guardians should reach out to local school authorities for the most current information on impacts to schooling.
- All affected school authorities had plans in place to ensure displaced students have access to educational programming.
Child care
- One child-care centre is currently closed in response to community evacuations:
- Opportunity Childcare, in Red Earth Creek
- Licensed child-care programs are required to notify Child Care Connect if they close unexpectedly.
- Parents and guardians should reach out to their child-care provider for information on closures.
Justice and court services
- Court sittings will resume in person at the Chateh courthouse on July 2.
- The Red Earth Creek courthouse remains closed until further notice. Visit the Alberta Courts website for the most current information regarding court scheduling.
