Courtesy: Government of Alberta
Editor’s Note: The EVAC order for the Dene Tha First Nation has been lifted. Residents are allowed to return home, however they are to stay prepared to evacuate, if conditions change.
Current situation (as of 3 p.m., June 17)
- There are 57 wildfires currently burning across Alberta in the Forest Protection Area, and three mutual aid fires.
- 22 are classified as out of control, nine are being held and 26 are under control.
- There have been nine new wildfires since yesterday.
- Since Jan. 1, there have been 567 wildfires in the Forest Protection Area, burning more than 660,000 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 Yukon, British Columbia, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Australia, Washington State, Oregon, Idaho, Hawaii 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 17, Dene Tha’ First Nation lifted its evacuation order for the community of Chateh, allowing all residents to return home. Residents of Chateh must remain prepared to evacuate again if conditions change.
- On June 16, the Town of Swan Hills lifted its evacuation alert.
- On June 13, the County of Grande Prairie No. 1 lifted its evacuation order, allowing all residents to return home. An evacuation alert remains in place for everyone north of Township Road 710 to 740, east of the provincial border with British Columbia to Range Road 132.
- On June 13, Saddle Hills County updated its evacuation order, which now includes everyone located between Township Road 794 and Highway 680 (Township Road 802), and Range Road 95 and Highway 725, as well as the Crown Land north of Township Road 800 and south of the Blueberry Mountain Grazing Reserve. The surrounding areas remain on evacuation alert.
- On June 13, Lac La Biche County lifted its evacuation alert for southern Winefred Lake and Grist Lake.
- The Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council’s evacuation orders for Loon Lake 235, 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 Red Earth Creek remains in effect.
- Reception centre at the Baytex Energy Centre, 9810 73 Avenue, Peace River.
- 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.
- Residents of the following additional areas must also remain prepared to evacuate if necessary:
- Hamlet of Marten Beach – Municipal District of Slave River
- Hawk Hills area – County of Northern Lights
- 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 and Calgary forest areas.
- 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 currently closed due to a wildfire.
- Highway 671/Kelly Lake Road at the Alberta/British Columbia border to Range Road 130, southwest of Hythe, is now open.
- 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
- As of June 16, following the end of the community’s four-hour evacuation order, Alberta Health Services is actively working to restore acute care services at Swan Hills Healthcare Centre.
- 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 impacted 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
- The Chateh and Red Earth Creek courthouses are closed until further notice due to evacuations. Visit the Alberta Courts website for the most current information regarding court scheduling.
