Evacuation order issued in northern Alberta as wildfire rages
CBC
Residents of a community in northern Alberta have been ordered to evacuate as powerful and unpredictable winds fan the flames of a wildfire burning nearby.
An evacuation order was issued for Swan Hills Monday at 6:16 p.m., after residents were put on alert earlier in the day.
Residents should gather their pets, important documents and have enough food, water, fuel and supplies to last at least three days.
A reception centre for evacuees is at the Allan and Jean Miller Centre in Whitecourt. A bus service is available from the Keyano Centre parking lot.
Evacuees not going to Whitecourt are asked to call 780-778-3637 to register.
Whitecourt Mayor Tom Pickard said his town is ready to take in Swan Hills residents.
"We're going to make it as enjoyable, or pleasant, as we can for Swan Hills. It's very traumatic for them," he said Monday evening.
A wildfire is burning about seven kilometres north of the town of about 1,300 residents.
Swan Hills is about 220 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
The fire, estimated at about 2,000 hectares, continues to burn out of control with high temperatures and strong winds in the forecast. An update at 4:42 p.m. from Alberta Wildfire said Highway 33 is closed due to smoke causing poor visibility.
"It is the most active and was showing some high intensity this late afternoon. It's being driven by winds from the west," Josee St-Onge, an Alberta Wildfire information officer, said Monday evening.
She said there are still firefighters, air tankers, helicopters, heavy equipment groups working to contain the fire.
"We'll also have a night vision-equipped helicopter working on it overnight, so we're still going full steam ahead to try to contain it, but it is showing some intense fire behaviour."
Swan Hills resident Beverley Arseneault said the process is overwhelming. Her and her family were out of town, so they had to rush back to get their belongings.
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