EDITOR’S NOTE: Since May 4, this post was updated daily to provide Albertans with the latest information on the provincial wildfire situation, including up-to-date details for wildfire evacuees. On June 26, the provincial government announced it would no longer be providing daily situation reports because, although the wildfire situation is not over in the province, it is improving. As a result, this post will no longer be updated. Global News will continue to cover provincial wildfire stories, just not in this post. Albertans can also continue to find the latest Alberta Emergency Alerts by clicking here.
Province-wide rain has drastically helped the wildfire situation in Alberta, providing much-needed relief for firefighters and residents whose homes have been threatened by ongoing flames.
The Rocky River wildfire, north of Fort Chipewyan, is now under control and residents will be able to go home this week.
On Tuesday, it was announced Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo residents will return later this week, as the southern perimeter of the wildfire near Fort Chipewyan has been brought under control.
Phased re-entry operations for Fort Chip, which is accessible by air and boat only outside of winter, are tentatively set to begin on Thursday, June 22. Right now essential workers are heading in to clean up and restock stores and get basic services restarted.
Allan Adam, Chief of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, said the plan is to allow the general public to start to return Thursday and Friday, while vulnerable people and families with kids will be brought back on the weekend.
“If there’s any body left over in Fort McMurray, we will have to determine what they’re doing, and probably get them home on a small fixed-wing plane depending on how long they stay in Fort McMurray.”
“If they do stay in Fort McMurray after Saturday, it’s at their own expense.”
The mandatory evacuation order remains in place, the province said Wednesday. It will be lifted once all essential services in Fort Chipewyan are confirmed ready for everyone to return home.
An evacuation order remains in effect for Little River Cree Nation – Fox Lake.
Earlier this week, Alberta Wildfire said the rain is a welcome relief after a few months of fighting wildfires non-stop.
“It doesn’t mean that we get to take a break but it does offer an opportunity to do some long-term planning, to assess the situation in more detail and for firefighters to continue making progress on the established containment lines and fireguard,” Josee St-Onge, provincial information officer with Alberta Wildfire on Sunday.
She added the downturn in the weather also means there are fewer new wildfires popping up.
Lightening that comes with the storms can also be a problem, she said. Dry lightning, which isn’t followed by rain, is more likely to cause sparks, but wet lightning that is followed by rain — like what we’ve seen in recent days— is less likely to start a fire, St-Onge explained.
Even though it’s less of a concern, she said officials still do check out those areas and track every lightning strike that hits the province.
The area burned by forest fires in Alberta has surpassed 1.43 million hectares, unofficially making it the largest wildfire season on record.
In 1981, wildfires in Alberta burned 1,357,305 hectares.
On Tuesday, there were 85 wildfires burning in Alberta — 10 of which are out of control.
There was one evacuation order in place and one emergency alert issued.
There have been roughly 35,000 Albertans displaced due to wildfires since the beginning of the season. As of Monday, 2,752 people remained displaced.
Edmonton closed its evacuation reception centre at the EXPO Centre Monday afternoon after evacuees from Edson and Yellowhead County were able to go home.
According to the City of Edmonton, nearly 1,800 Albertans registered at the centre between June 9 and Monday.
Edson wildfire latest
On Tuesday, the wildfire burning near Edson was finally brought under control and was classified as being held.
The evacuation order for Edson, a town of about 8,000 people, was lifted Thursday. However, a four-hour evacuation alert remains in place for the town.
“Even as we lift this evacuation order, I want to stress we are on four-hour evacuation alert. Please be ready to leave the area if conditions worsen,” said Edson chief administrative officer Christine Beveridge.
“Wildfires are unpredictable and there’s a very real possibility that we’ll have to evacuate again.