Nearly 30,000 Albertans have been evacuated due to wildfires
More than 100 wildfires continue to burn in Alberta on Sunday. As Laura Krause reports, the cooler temperatures and rain is providing some relief to firefighters.
Posted May 7, 2023 4:18 pm.
Last Updated May 8, 2023 11:41 am.
Nearly 30,000 Albertans have been evacuated from their homes as the province continues to deal with wildfires.
There were 108 active wildfires in Alberta by late Sunday afternoon, including 31 fires that were out of control and 16 new wildfires in the past 24 hours.
Alberta Wildfire says 375,000 hectares have burned this year.
RELATED: Alberta wildfires: officials hoping rain, cooler weather slows blazes
In the latest update by Alberta Emergency Management Agency and Alberta Wildfire, officials broke down how many Albertans were evacuated from which areas.
- Edson/ Minnow Lake Provincial Recreation area: 8,000 evacuated
- Evansburg/Entwistle area: 1,270 evacuated, with 21 structures damaged in Lobstick/Hanson/Wildwood
- Fox Lake: 1,476 evacuated; 20 homes, general store and RCMP station destroyed
- Little Red River Cree Nation: 3,600 evacuated
- Drayton Valley/Brazeau County: 7,200 evacuated, with roughly 1,500 sheltering at Edmonton Expo Centre
- O’Chiese First Nation: 80 evacuated, with one home destroyed
- County of Grande Prairie: 470 evacuated
- East Prairie Metis settlement/ Enilda/Banana Belt community: 385 evacuated
- Clear Hills: residents on alert to evacuate
- High Prairie: residents on 60-minute alert notice
Officials say fire and smoke are making it difficult to provide accurate fire damage.
