A First Nation in northern Alberta was evacuated starting Wednesday night as it was threatened by a wildfire burning out of control nearly 800 kilometers north of Edmonton.
The fire, located near Fox Lake, was nearly 4,400 hectares in size as of Thursday, according to Alberta Wildfire.
The evacuation efforts were slow as the only way in and out of Little Red River Cree Nation is a small barge. A line of 600 people was waiting to cross the Peace River at its busiest moment, according to Chief Conroy Sewepagaham.
Around 1:15 p.m. Thursday, Sewepagaham said the barge was close to being burned and said all workers helping to evacuate residents needed to leave.
An hour later, he posted a plea to social media for those with boats to cross the river and help bring about 100 remaining residents to safety. Sewepagaham said a “skeleton crew” was working to rescue the remaining residents.
“This is our last-ditch effort to get as many people across … If we can get boats from the Williams Crossing, if we can get manpower, we need some food and some water,” he said.
Helicopters, seven personal boats and a barge were on standby to continue the evacuation, Sewepagaham said in an update around 4:30 p.m.
He also said at least two homes have been lost to the fire so far.
In a provincial wildfire update issued just before 7:30 p.m. on Thursday night, the Alberta government said three wildfires continue to burn in the Fox Lake area and threaten the community of Fox Lake.
“At the time of this report, 20 households, the police station and the Northern Store have been lost,” the government said. “A reception centre has opened at the Fox Lake Band Office.”
About 3,700 people living in Fox Lake are now under a mandatory evacuation order, according to Sewepagaham.
The town is largely without power as the fire has burned through power transmission lines, said Sewepagaham.
Evacuees must go to the Fox Lake Band office or call 1-888-201-3053.
The nearby Town of High Level has set up an evacuation centre to help.
Mayor Crystal McAteer said the town has already welcomed hundreds of evacuees and many more are expected Thursday. The mayor says High Level’s 900 hotel rooms are filling up quickly and the town is bringing in cots as soon as it can.
“(Evacuees) are all being put up in hotel rooms, which is all very costly to the band,” said McAteer, adding the town didn’t have time to set up the arena for people fleeing the fire.
High Level residents are tense, said McAteer.
“Everytime we hear a bomber or a helicopter go off we’re on edge because it’s extremely dry up in our area,” she said.
Fort Vermilion Coun. Cameron Cardinal said his community, about halfway between the affected area and High Level, is preparing to take in some evacuees.
“Right now we’re expecting around 200 evacuees and we’ve got the space for around 300,” Cardinal said.
Food vendors are heading north to help feed the affected residents and the Red Cross is sending cots for them to sleep on, Cardinal said.
Cardinal said Fort Vermilion locals have been willing to step up and help the people coming from Fox Lake.
“It’s unravelling pretty quick. The worst part about disasters is you know it’s going to happen, you just don’t know when and you try your best to prepare for it,” said Cardinal.
“We’ve been through this before and we’ll get through it.”
Thursday, fire crews reported “active open flame on the northeast corner of the fire,” Alberta Wildfire said. This area of the fire will be the priority for crews.
Hot, dry weather and winds fueled the growth of the fire, which is about 530 kilometres north of Edmonton.
“This fire has experienced very active fire behaviour and growth (Wednesday), which spread north up to the Peace River,” said Alberta Wildfire in an update.
Alberta Wildfire said there are currently 36 firefighters, three helicopters, local firefighters and heavy equipment working on the fire. Airtankers will be supporting firefighters Thursday. Heavy equipment is working to establish fire guards around nearby homes.
So far crews have been successful in preventing spread towards the community to the west of the fire by laying down a retardant line, Alberta Wildfire said.
While the Fox Lake fire burns to the east of High Level, another out of control fire near Rainbow Lake is burning west of High Level.
The fire is 500 hectares in size and actively spreading to the southwest. The Town of Rainbow Lake has issued an evacuation notice.
McAteer said if the town of Rainbow Lake is evacuated, about 700 more people would be heading to High Level.
There are currently no road closures in the area due to this fire, according to 511 Alberta.
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