Wildfire prompts evacuation, closure of Highway 16 near Elk Island National Park

Emily Williams · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 18, 2025 9:00 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

Some residents northbound of Highway 16 adjacent Elk Island National Park person been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire that has dispersed to aggregate structures successful the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village.

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. An emergency alert issued astatine 8:24 p.m. advises residents surviving adjacent the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village to hole for evacuation arsenic a precaution.

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, has started to dispersed and is not considered nether control.

Evacuations person begun for residents connected Range Road 195, northbound of Highway 16, RCMP said. Fort Saskatchewan RCMP counsel that anyone surviving successful the country who is not yet affected by the evacuation, should hole an evacuation kit should the occurrence dispersed further.

WATCH: Wildfire burning near Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village:

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 message. 

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.