WATCH ABOVE: Residents near North Wabasca Lake were once again forced from their homes Sunday due to an out-of-control wildfire. Jessica Kent has more on the wildfire situation in Alberta.
EDMONTON – Residents living near North Wabasca Lake have once again been forced from their homes due to a nearby wildfire.
As of 11 a.m. Monday, the fire was burning 275 hectares in size and listed as out of control.
Thirty-five homes on the north and east side of the lake were originally evacuated on Saturday afternoon. Residents were able to return home Saturday night.
On Sunday afternoon, RCMP began evacuating homes on the north side of the lake after wind forced the blaze past the fire guard.
The fire hazard in the area is listed as extreme.
There were three air tankers, five helicopters and about 29 firefighters battling the blaze Saturday afternoon with more resources on the way. Overnight Sunday, crews completed a dozer guard on the west side of the fire. The dozer guard on the south side of the fire was 70 per cent complete Monday morning.
Extremely dry, windy conditions have led to several wildfires in Alberta. As of Sunday morning, 29 wildfires were burning in the province, two of which were classified as out of control.
“Campfires are definitely a bid cause of the wildfires that we’re seeing,” said Geoffrey Driscoll with Alberta Environmental Sustainable Resource Development.
“You’ve got to make sure that you soak your fire, stir the ashes, and soak it again before you leave.”
Driscoll said off-highway vehicles such as ATVS or dirt bikes also cause a lot of wildfires.
For the latest information on fire status and fire bans, visit the Government of Alberta’s website.
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