Thousands allowed back home, but officials say wildfires still leaving many displaced
CTV
People in parts of Alberta and British Columbia are returning home after wildfire evacuation orders were lifted Thursday.
People in parts of Alberta and British Columbia are returning home after wildfire evacuation orders were lifted Thursday.
Thanks to recent rain and favourable winds, roughly 2,000 residents from Tumbler Ridge, B.C., were allowed to return home.
An evacuation order was also lifted for the town of Edson, Alta., and surrounding area, allowing more than 8,000 to return.
The ending of the order in Alberta comes six days after flames jumped fireguards outside the town 200 kilometres west of Edmonton and forced residents to get out.
A statement on Edson's website says residents should remain ready to leave with four hours' notice, and an evacuation alert status will remain in place.
Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair says many people in Alberta, B.C. and Quebec have been able to return home, but thousands remain displaced due to fires across the country.
Blair says rain and cooler weather have helped improve the fire situation significantly in the Maritimes and parts of Quebec, but that's not the case everywhere.
