Officials with the Town of Valleyview said Thursday that residents can start their re-entry to the community at noon.
Fire barriers are established in vulnerable areas within the community and officials are monitoring the fire activity, wind and weather.
Town officials said that there has been no loss of power, water or gas throughout the evacuation.
Residents are advised that grocery stores, gas stations and medical care — including hospitals, health care, mental health services and EMS — could be limited for the coming days.
Residents are told if they need immediate medical care to visit neighbouring communities and to shop for essentials such as food, medication, fuel, etc. before returning. Residents are told to purchase enough for up to five days.
Operation of schools and daycares may continue to be disrupted and non-essential businesses such as retail and restaurants could also be limited.
There is no fuel or services available from Whitecourt to Little Smoky.
There is still heavy smoke within the area. People with respiratory or mobility issues are encouraged to consult their medical professionals before returning.
Motorists driving around Valleyview and Highway 43 are asked to exercise caution while driving due to the low visibility in the area due to the wildfire smoke.
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Thursday at 9:18 a.m. the mandatory evacuation order was lifted for the town of Valleyview, Alta. However, an evacuation alert remains in place.
An emergency alert was sent out informing residents that it is safe to return home. The town of Valleyview added that “no threat to life currently exists” and that more details on re-entry will be sent out via advisory alert later. However, residents who are returning are told to stay prepared to evacuate within a one-hour notice.
More information can also be found on the Valleyview website or the town Facebook page.
The original evacuation order was given on Monday at 1:30 p.m. Residents were told to bring important documents, medication, pets and enough food and water for three days.
Evacuees were sent to Whitecourt where they joined other communities of evacuees like Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and Fox Creek.
The town of Valleyview has an approximate population of 2,000 and every member was evacuated.
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