Ukrainian heritage village fire forces Alberta highway closure, evacuation

13 hour_ago 9

Edmonton·New

A wildfire prompted the closure of Highway 16 and a present cancelled evacuation alert near Elk Island National Park.

RCMP accidental occurrence has dispersed to aggregate structures in Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village

Emily Williams · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 18, 2025 9:00 PM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

fire and smoke, river emblem and firetrcuks

A wildfire prompted the closure of Highway 16 and a now-cancelled evacuation alert near Elk Island National Park.

The occurrence dispersed to aggregate structures successful the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, RCMP said Friday.

The grassfire has besides prompted the closure of Highway 16 in some directions betwixt the entranceway to Elk Island National Park and Range Road 194. As of 9 p.m. the road is inactive closed.

An emergency alert issued astatine 8:24 p.m. advised residents surviving adjacent the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village to hole for evacuation arsenic a precaution — but that alert was cancelled astatine 8:51 p.m..

Fort Saskatchewan RCMP are asking the nationalist to debar the country and find alternate routes. It said the fire, which is located behind the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, was out-of-control, but is present considered contained.

WATCH: Wildfire burning near Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village:

Wildfire eastbound of Edmonton prompts evacuation

This video captured by David Czerwinski shows a fast-spreading occurrence extracurricular Elk Island National Park connected Friday night. The flames dispersed to aggregate structures successful the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, RCMP say, though the grade of the damages cannot yet beryllium confirmed.

RCMP confirmed Friday nighttime that the occurrence has dispersed to multiple Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village — an open-air depository depicting beingness of aboriginal settlers and Ukrainian culture. The colony contains dozens of historic buildings. Fort Saskatchewan RCMP said the concern is evolving rapidly and the grade of the damages cannot yet beryllium confirmed.

Jay Zaal, spokesperson from Lamont County, said the visitant centre has been impacted by the fire, which has present dispersed to the northbound broadside of Highway 16.

"Crews are moving to incorporate the fire; precocious winds are creating challenges arsenic it is excessively windy for aerial support," Zaal told CBC by substance connection soon aft 7:30 p.m.

Elk Island National Park and neighbouring Lamont County are currently nether a occurrence restriction.

Lamont County Emergency Services responded to the occurrence astir 4 p.m. and called successful communal assistance from Strathcona County, Zaal. said.

A spokesperson for Alberta Wildfire told CBC News the occurrence falls extracurricular of the province's wood extortion country and the determination firefighting agencies person not requested further help.