HIGH LEVEL, Alta. -- Residents of a northern Alberta town that were forced to flee an encroaching wildfire last month are once again being told to gas up and be ready to leave in a hurry.
The town of High Level says on its website Monday evening that residents aren't required to leave at the moment, but should gather documents, get food and water ready and fuel their vehicles in case a mandatory evacuation becomes necessary.
Close to 5,000 people in High Level and surrounding communities were ordered to leave due to the Chuckegg Creek fire in May, and remained out of their community for two weeks until they were finally allowed to return on June 2.
Earlier Monday, people in the area of Indian Cabins, about 150 kilometres north of High Level, were told to leave immediately due to another fire north of the Chuckegg Creek blaze.
Later in the day, residents of Trout Lake were ordered to leave due to a fire that's burning in the Slave Lake Forest Area.
A wildfire update from the province Monday noted that humidity in the area of High Level was dropping, and that fire activity would become more aggressive.
"The evacuation alert is simply a notification to allow you time to prepare for potential evacuation," the notice on the High Level website stated.
"In the event of an evacuation order, you will be notified of reception centre locations and evacuation routes."
The alert for residents of High Level also included the Dene Tha' First Nation's Bushe River reserve and Beaver First Nation's Child Lake Reserve.
There are two other fires in northern Alberta that are considered out of control -- one near Slave Lake and another near Lac La Biche.
