Crews battling wildfire north of Edmonton not out of the woods yet, say officials

Wildfire still a danger

Photo: The Canadian Press

A shoulder patch of the Alberta Wildfire service is pictured in Fort McMurray, Alta., Thursday, May 16, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Higher humidity and lower temperatures have helped crews responding to a wildfire north of Edmonton, but officials say they aren't out of the woods yet.

Sturgeon County fire Chief Chad Moore says 71 homes have been evacuated as a blaze near the Redwater Provincial Recreation Area continues to burn out of control.

He says people are being urged to stay away from the evacuation area while crews from as far north as Slave Lake, Alta., battle the 3,000-hectare fire.

Officials have said the fire started over the weekend when an all-terrain vehicle caught fire after an apparent electrical or mechanical failure.

Gavin Hojka from Alberta Wildfire says strong winds on Thursday ramped up fire activity, but higher humidity and lower temperatures helped lower its intensity.

He says firefighters are "not out of the woods" yet and are working on containing the fire's perimeter to limit its spread so they can get residents home as soon as possible.

"This has been an incredibly difficult situation, and we have seen incredible support from all of our community partners," Sturgeon County Mayor Alanna Hnatiw told a news conference Friday.

"I just want to recognize the compassion and the resilience that we have seen in this community. This is definitely a testament to the strength and the enduring spirit of Sturgeon County."