EDITOR’S NOTE: Shortly after 1 a.m., the Alberta government said fires throughout Wheatland County were under control, and all residents were able to return to their homes. Due to the situation, all schools in Siksika Nation will be closed on Wednesday and school bus service will not be running. For further information go to www.wheatlandcounty.ca.
UPDATE: Siksika First Nation residents try to recover after wildfire forces hundreds to flee their homes
Several wildfires in Wheatland County spurred a state of emergency Tuesday night. Officials asked people to immediately evacuate the areas surrounding Carseland and east to Gleichen and warning of heavy smoke in the area.
WATCH: Video sent to Global News shows a wildfire on the Siksika First Nation that spurred an evacuation order in Wheatland County.
For more details, visit the Wheatland County website here
Residents in the community of Gleichen and surrounding areas were asked to evacuate just after 7 p.m.
RCMP said two grass fires had ignited in the Strathmore area: one near Highway 910 and Range Road 264 after police believe a train caught fire near the Agrium Plant, which turned into a grass fire due to extreme winds.
The second caused some evacuations for residents in the Siksika Nation, in the area of Highway 817 and Highway 24.
RCMP and members of the Siksika Fire Department helped get about 400 people out and to reception centres.
Three houses on the Siksika Nation were destroyed by fire and another was severely damaged. The extreme winds blew a roof off another house, RCMP said. Two homes in Wheatland County were damaged.
Shortly after 11 p.m., the Alberta government provided an update and said residents of Siksika First Nation were now allowed to go home.
WATCH: Gerald Barstad lives near Gleichen and lost his house in a fast-moving fire that ripped through Wheatland County on Tuesday. Dallas Flexhaug speaks with him about his ordeal.
Highway 1 had been closed earlier Tuesday night but reopened by 9:30 p.m. RCMP asked people to drive with caution as heavy smoke remained in the area.
Reception centres were open at the Strathmore Civic Centre at 120 Brent Blvd. and the Standard Community Hall at 150 Yorick Ave. as of 6:45 p.m.
WATCH: Some residents evacuated from their homes due to fires near Gleichen are now being allowed to return. Dallas Flexhaug reports.
A reception centre for pets was set up at Lord of All Lutheran Church in Strathmore.
Fire crews were on site just before 6 p.m. People were asked to stay away from heavily vegetated areas.
Residents were also asked to close doors, windows and vents and keep in mind visibility will be affected on the highways.
Global News reporter Tony Tighe said as he drove east from Calgary along Highway 22X Tuesday night, he could see fence posts glowing orange from the flames. He said he could smell the fire from inside his car.
READ MORE: ‘Rapidly spreading’ wildfire sparks emergency alert in southeastern Alberta
Hannah Owl Child goes to school in Calgary but went to see her family on Siksika Nation earlier Tuesday night.
“I saw my aunt, whose house was inches away from the fire, and all seems to be OK,” she wrote in an email to Global News.
Owl Child said she was originally told there were burning houses, but that turned out to be false.
“However, my grandparents’ crops were affected and a combine was in flames,” she wrote. “I’m so thankful for hearing no houses were affected — not yet, anyway.”
She said the rain seemed to help put out the fire and the blaze seemed to have died down.
“After seeing multiple posts on Facebook, a lot seems to be shaken up due to the tremendous scare,” she wrote. “I still hope everyone takes extra precaution within these next few hours in the rare case that the fire starts again.”
As of 1 a.m. on Wednesday, the fires throughout Wheatland County were declared under control. Firefighters remained on scene Wednesday afternoon to monitor hot spots.
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