Two hamlets in Alberta under evacuation alert due to forest fire danger

Residents of two Alberta hamlets are currently preparing for possible evacuations due to the threat of impending wildfires.

An evacuation warning was issued Monday afternoon for the community of Bilby Common, a neighborhood in rural Lac Ste. Anne County.

Residents in the northwest Alberta area should be prepared to evacuate their homes within 30 minutes as a wildfire raging west of the neighbourhood is spreading east, the critical alert said.

An evacuation warning also remains in effect for the village of Saprae Creek Estates, about 30 kilometers southeast of Fort McMurray. On Sunday afternoon, a critical forest fire warning was issued for the village in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.

About 700 people living in Saprae Creek should be prepared to leave the area at short notice, officials with the province’s forest fire management agency said.

The fire near Saprae Creek, first discovered on April 21, continues to rage out of control on the south side of the Clearwater River.

The fire, which has already destroyed almost 70 hectares of forest, is now raging about 4.5 kilometres east of Saprae Creek. The fire broke out on Sunday about six kilometres outside the hamlet.

Efforts were focused on fighting the western flank of the fire, officials said.

An aerial photo of a forest fire southeast of Fort McMurray poses a threat to the community of Saprae Creek Estates. An evacuation order has been issued for residents of the hamlet. (Forest fire in Alberta)

“Yesterday, crews and emergency responders worked to increase fire protection along the western flank of the wildfire,” Alberta Wildfire said in a statement Monday.

“They are working to contain the fire from that side and then they will work to get it under control.

Helicopter crews worked through the night to extinguish the flames and that work would continue as long as conditions permit, officials said.

In addition, firefighting aircraft will deploy additional fire retardant along the edges of the fire while crews continue to battle the western flank of the wildfire and work to extinguish a nearby fire.

Four firefighting teams, six helicopters, two firefighting aircraft groups and five groups with heavy equipment will tackle the fire on Monday.

In a statement on social media on Sunday, city officials said people should pay attention to official wildfire information, create an emergency plan with family and pack a 72-hour emergency kit.

Jody Butz, regional fire chief and the municipality’s emergency management director, said crews continue to fight the fire from the ground and air.

“We are confident,” Butz said in an interview on Monday.

“We will monitor the heat of the day to see how the fire responds to temperatures and to determine if our containment efforts have been successful.

“We remain focused on the fire, but we have a really good feeling about it. We are optimistic that all firefighting efforts yesterday were successful.”

Butz said the fire is a reminder that all residents need to be prepared for the upcoming wildfire season.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) urged residents to stay away from the fire scene and said drones flying over the area were hindering firefighting efforts.

In a statement on Sunday, the RCMP said it had temporarily grounded helicopters stationed in the area.

Provincial wildfire officials warn that dry winter conditions have increased the risk of wildfires this spring, and that warmer temperatures and stronger winds over the weekend could increase the fire danger.

Since Monday, 65 forest fires have raged across Alberta, three of which were out of control.

In 2016, a massive wildfire devastated the city of Fort McMurray, displacing thousands of people from their homes and destroying 2,400 buildings.

Meanwhile, a forest fire in the Canyon Creek area near Slave Lake led to the temporary closure of Highway 2 on Sunday afternoon.

For several hours, visibility was limited on sections of the motorway near the fire site due to smoke. The motorway has now reopened.