Town of Slave Lake, surrounding areas on 8-hour wildfire evacuation notice

A wildfire burning northeast of Slave Lake has officials warning residents to be ready to evacuate within eight hours.

Thousands of people in the town of Slave Lake and surrounding area are on evacuation notice due to a nearby wildfire.

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The alert is in effect for the areas that include Devonshire Road North and everyone in the MD of Lesser Slave River, Hamlet of Marten Beach, Summerwood, Township Road 740 and Gillwood Gold Course, according to Alberta Emergency Alert (AEA).

Sunday evening Slave Lake mayor Francesca Ward posted on social media saying the town has issued an eight-hour evacuation notice.

“This does not mean you need to leave immediately – it means we want you to have time to be ready in case things change,” Ward said Sunday evening.

People in the area of MD of Lesser Slave River should be prepared to evacuate within four hours, AEA said.

The wildfire is burning out of control northeast of Slave Lake and east of Highway 88. The fire is less than a square kilometre in size.