Wildfire evacuation order lifted for northern Alberta community

The Kettle River Fire (LWF136), one of five fires in the Semo-Complex fire, can been seen from the air on July 18, 2024. (Photo: Alberta Wildfire)

A wildfire evacuation order for Chipewyan Prairie First Nation (CPFN) in northern Alberta was lifted on Thursday.

CPFN says buses will leave Fort McMurray and Lac La Biche on Friday morning to take evacuees without transport back to the community.

The evacuation order was issued on July 17 because of wildfire LWF-136, one of the fires in the Kettle River Complex.

An evacuation alert was also lifted for the hamlet of Janvier, located more than 400 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.

The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo says LWF-136 is still classified as out-of-control, but a fireguard has been completed around the perimeter of the fire.

A fire ban remains in place.