A wildfire situation in Sturgeon County that has already forced dozens of people northeast of Edmonton to flee their homes is expected to continue to be a challenge for firefighters on Wednesday with temperatures projected to reach the high 20s in the region.
“We do expect that we will see some significant fire activity,” Chad Moore, Sturgeon County’s fire chief, told reporters at a news conference held via video call on Wednesday morning.
“What we saw yesterday was … some very extreme fire behaviour.”
On Tuesday afternoon, an evacuation order was issued for some parts of the county. It was later expanded and then an evacuation alert — warning people to prepare for the possibility of an evacuation order — was issued for even more areas, including the town of Redwater. Some residents of Thorhild County were also issued an evacuation order.
Sturgeon County wildfire evacuees are now being directed to head to a reception centre set up at the Morinville Leisure Centre. Moore said about 70 people have already registered and he expects that number will rise.
Alanna Hnatiw, the mayor of Sturgeon County, also spoke at Wednesday’s news conference.
“It’s been a tireless fight against really difficult conditions,” she said of the wildfire situation that was sparked by an off-highway vehicle fire on the weekend. “There has been devastation.”
The fire, which started Saturday, has destroyed a farmhouse. Moore said crews would be attempting to survey damage on Wednesday and could not provide a further update as of morning. He said while an official estimate of the fire’s current size was expected later on Wednesday, as of the morning he believed it was likely approaching 2,000 hectares.
“Crews worked through the night, continuing to protect properties,” he said, noting that at some points on Tuesday , firefighters had to retreat because of dangerous crossover conditions and crown fires on treetops.
Moore noted crossover conditions are when the humidity is less than or equal to the temperature.
“A very dangerous situation,” he explained. “You get such strong (fire) behaviour, … the embers from those burning trees may fly up to a mile or two ahead of the fire and start a secondary fire.”
He said that can create risks of new fires starting behind fire crews.
“Crews pull back to the area and focus on the fields and residences,” Moore said. “We have to let this crown fire burn.
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“There is no tactic that can stop that.”
Moore said with the assistance of other fire departments and agencies, there were about 175 people working on the Sturgeon County wildfire situation on Wednesday, including about 30 front-line response vehicles.
Alberta Wildfire said it will be under unified command with Sturgeon County for the wildfire burning in the Redwater Provincial Recreation Area and noted it already has firefighters, heavy equipment, helicopters and airtankers working to contain the spread of the blaze.
Hnatiw said with much of central Alberta becoming much more green this week, she fears the changing colours could create a “false sense of security” among people. She reminded people to be cautious and aware of the high risk of fire as conditions remain very dry.
“We need rain and the wind to stop,” Hnatiw said.
“(The situation is) very dynamic,” Moore said. “Fire behaviour can change minute to minute.
“We adjust constantly and appreciate everyone’s patience. We know it’s a very difficult situation to be in.”
As of Wednesday morning, 43 rural properties in the area were in the evacuation zone and fire crews had set up sprinklers to protect homes.
Angel and Karen Richards said Wednesday their home now has no power and is on the edge of the evacuation zone. They said their family has lived in the area for 50 years.
“It’s very scary,” Karen Richards said, adding that they had to drive through thick smoke Wednesday morning as they travelled to Redwater to get supplies.
“Everything is black,” Angel Richards said.
“There’s fires right up to houses,” Karen Richards added. “You can see where they have put fire retardant down to protect the houses, but the trees, right up to the houses are all burnt.
“I was crying the whole way I was driving through.”
On Sturgeon County’s social media pages, officials also advised people in the area on Wednesday that Dow Canada would be “conducting high-level flaring” at one of its plants in the region until late Thursday morning.
“Flaring is an essential safety measure that protects the employees, the community and the facility,” officials said. “This event is not related to the current wildfires in the county.”
A fire ban is in effect for all of Sturgeon County.
Sturgeon County officials said at this point they are not accepting donations or resources from people to help with the wildfire and evacuees but that they are collecting phone numbers of organizations that can help for if that situation changes.
Derrick Forsythe, a spokesperson for Alberta Wildfire, said that amid the current warm and dry conditions in the provinces, fires can start easily.
“We ask people who are out … to follow any advisories, restrictions or bans that may be in place,” he said.
Forestry Minister Todd Loewen said central Alberta is the primary area of concern at the moment. He said the number of active fires is not enough to warrant calling in help from other areas at this point.
“At this point, things are going OK,” he said Wednesday.
Emergency information
For the latest information about which areas in Alberta are under an evacuation alert or order due to a wildfire, visit the Alberta Emergency Alert website.
For the latest information about wildfire status and danger across the province, visit the Alberta Wildfire website.
The latest information on fire advisories, restrictions and bans across the province can be found on the Alberta fire bans website.
Information about how to prepare to flee when an evacuation order has been issued for the area you live in can be found on the Alberta government’s website.
–with files from Global News’ Karen Bartko and Kendra Slugoski and The Canadian Press’ Aaron Sousa and Jack Farrell
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