Yellowhead County, Edson residents allowed to return home after wildfire evacuation

Crews work through a burned patch of forest near Edson on Saturday

Yellowhead County and the town of Edson are lifting all remaining evacuation orders after nearly a week of residents being displaced from their homes following wildfires that consumed the area last Friday.

At a news conference on Thursday afternoon, Christina Beveridge, chief administrative officer of the Town of Edson, said that starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday,  residents were able to return to their homes but warned there will be a four-hour evacuation alert.

Beveridge said the fire is over 300,000 hectares, or about 4.5 times the city of Edmonton, and currently burning about two kilometres from the town of Edson.

The rain that has fallen in the community over the past few days has bought firefighters about 10 days of reprieve, Beveridge said.

“Five millimetres equals about one day of reprieve. We’ve received approximately 50 millimetres of rain.”

Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara warned residents that the town currently has only one basic life support ambulance while they are setting up emergency services.

He says that other services are “working hard” to reopen Thursday evening or Friday morning, including pharmacies, grocery stores and gas stations. Zahara added that gas crews are currently in town restoring services.

Both Yellowhead County and the Town of Edson said they will be providing additional transportation and support for those who may need help returning, whether it be transportation or a more detailed return-to-town plan.