Fire north of Slave Lake could burn for months: officials

Smoky street in Slave Lake, Alberta on May 31, 2019.

Officials say a wildfire near Slave Lake could burn for months, producing smoky conditions in the region.

The blaze is now over 240,000 hectares in size, more than three times the City of Edmonton and is burning about 32 kilometres away from the town.

An eight hour evacuation notice for Slave Lake residents has been downgraded to a 12 hour evacuation notice as of noon on Tuesday, and a fire ban is still in place.

The reception centre for evacuees at the Legacy Centre has now been shut down, and the Salvation Army and Red Cross support have both left town.

Remaining evacuees from the Chuckegg Creek fire can call the following numbers for information: