The Algar Lake Complex, burning in the Fort McMurray Forest Area, started as a result of the recent lightning activity in the area
Nearly a thousand residents have evacuated a northern Alberta First Nation due to an out-of-control wildfire.
A provincial alert says a blaze is burning about 8.5 kilometres north of Highway 58, which is adjacent to Little Red River Cree Nation.
The government says 981 residents of the First Nation left Wednesday evening to find shelter in the settlement of John D’Or Prairie and hotels in other northern towns.
An evacuation order issued Wednesday remains in effect for the 700 residents of Garden River, a community about 30 kilometres northwest of the same wildfire affecting Little Red River Cree Nation.
Meanwhile, North of Fort McMurray, a wildfire classified as MWF047 is burning at roughly 280 square kilometres in size and is still out of control. It has not moved closer to any communities or industrial sites. This wildfire was spotted on July 2 and was also caused by lightning.
That fire’s current borders are eight kilometres northeast of Suncor’s Firebag operation, 50 kilometres northeast of the Fort McKay First Nation and Metis Nation, and 70 kilometres northeast of Fort McMurray.
No evacuation warning has been issued for any community or industrial site. However, all non-essential staff have been removed from Suncor’s Firebag operation and Cenovus’ Sunrise site as a precaution.
There are 241 people working on MWF047. This includes 134 firefighters and 26 incident management team members and support staff. The remaining staff are contractors and pilots. There are 18 helicopters and 16 pieces of heavy equipment being used to attack the wildfire and build fireguards.
Firefighters from other provinces in Canada are heading to Fort McMurray to help. This includes 100 firefighters and 43 overhead staff from Ontario, and 20 firefighters and six overhead staff from New Brunswick.
105 active wildfires are burning in Alberta’s forest protection area, a region spanning from the southern Rocky Mountains into the north.
Comments