Redwater evacuation order expanded late Wednesday night; Boyle residents allowed to go home

Wildfires continue to threaten communities across Alberta, including one near the town of Redwater that doubled in size in the past 24 hours.

More residents of Sturgeon County were told to leave their homes because of the wildfire danger Wednesday night.

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The wildfire evacuation order east of Redwater was expanded after 11 p.m. to include more people surrounding the Redwater Provincial Recreation Area.

The emergency alert directed affected residents to go immediately to an evacuation centre in Morinville.

At 2 p.m., Sturgeon County said the fire near Redwater had doubled in size, from about 1,500 hectares to 3,000.

Officials believe the fire was ignited by a quad in the recreation area Saturday night. The quad operator took appropriate action and contacted the county immediately, but firefighters could not access the location in time to prevent it from spreading, the county said on Wednesday.

Boyle evacuation order lifted

Meanwhile, residents of the Village of Boyle as well as part of Athabasca County were given the go-ahead to return home late Thursday morning thanks to a fire burning near Highway 831 being held.

However, those living closest to the fire cannot return home yet.

Announcing the re-entry via a post to social media, Athabasca County Reeve Tracy Holland said crews are still working along Highway 831.

She confirmed some outbuildings have been damaged by the blaze, but that no homes or wildlife were lost.

Parts of Thorhild and Westlock counties also remain on evacuation alert, meaning affected residents should be prepared to leave with an hour’s notice from officials.

Full details on evacuation orders and alerts can be found on the Alberta Emergency Alert website.