Wildfire threat remains extreme in Alberta with hot, dry weather ahead
CBC
Flames have begun to retreat from one of nine First Nations communities under threat from wildfires burning across Alberta.
A massive fire threatening Fox Lake is now moving east, away from the remote northern community, said Conroy Sewepagaham, chief of the Little Red River Cree Nation, in a update Wednesday.
Sewepagaham said he remains hopeful that if the weather holds, his community will be spared further damage. More than 100 structures in Fox Lake have already been destroyed, Indigenous Services Canada has confirmed.
"The fire is no longer a big threat to the community," Sewepagaham said in a video posted to Facebook. "That's one good thing."
Communities across the province are bracing for the wildfire danger to escalate. After a few days of relative calm, the return of hot, dry weather this weekend threatens to make conditions more volatile.
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement Thursday morning, warning of "unseasonably hot, dry conditions" beginning this weekend. Daytime highs are expected to climb into the 30s, about 10 to 15 degrees C above seasonal norms.
As of Thursday morning, 82 wildfires continue to burn across the province, 23 of them out of control.
Canadian Armed Forces soldiers will soon be on the move across the province — by road and air — to assist firefighters on the front lines.
Troops from 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and 1 Combat Engineer Regiment are moving out to establish bases of operations in Grande Prairie, Fox Creek and Drayton Valley, the provincial government said Thursday.
Troops will support firefighting efforts, aid with community evacuations and lend engineering support through the use of heavy equipment.
Emergency officials will deliver an update on Alberta's wildfire response at 3 p.m. MT. Watch the news conference here.
The Paskwa fire at Fox Lake, 150 kilometres east of High Level, is among the fires currently defying suppression efforts.
Since it was detected on May 2, the fire has consumed more than 24,000 hectares.
Firefighters are working to tame hot spots but the fire but the forecast is not encouraging, Sewepagaham said.
The RCMP has not recruited enough new officers or effectively assigned its members to meet its operational needs, according to a new report from the auditor general — raising concerns about public safety across the country.
Oil prices fell Monday morning after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would hold off on striking Iran’s energy infrastructure amid productive talks between the two countries.
Premier Doug Ford says his government plans to give Toronto's Billy Bishop Airport special designation that would allow the province to bypass municipal and provincial laws as it pushes to expand the runway downtown.
Jenelle Hughes says she worries every time her two older children take their car to get to Fanshawe College in London, Ont., from their home in Dutton.
Oil prices fell Monday morning after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would hold off on striking Iran’s energy infrastructure amid productive talks between the two countries.
While spring technically started late last week, Newfoundland and Labrador isn't free from winter weather just yet.
The Sudbury School Bus Consortium is suspending all school buses in Greater Sudbury as the community continues to clean up following a major storm.
Two large corporate landlords owning a combined 9,008 rental units in Halifax are reporting smaller annual increases in their average rents for 2025 than the previous year.
The Holt government has reached a deal with Ottawa on compensation for tens of millions of dollars in lost sales tax revenue from the Christmas season in 2024.
The government of Saskatchewan has announced plans to reduce the length of non-resident game bird hunting licences to combat illegal guiding.
An 87-year-old Alberta man is fighting extradition to the United Kingdom to stand trial for historical allegations of physical and sexual assault involving minors.
Eight casinos across southwest B.C. have been sold to First Nations in the last two years, with the province's gambling scene set to be reshaped as a result.
Hamilton hosts the Junos Sunday, and the musical awards show is bringing tourists, musicians, concerts and a ton of themed events to the city this week.