Wildfire risk remains high as flames trigger evacuation orders across Alberta

Wallis Snowdon · CBC News

· Posted: May 07, 2025 10:12 AM EDT | Last Updated: 18 minutes ago

Wildfires that flared up crossed bluish Alberta connected Tuesday day person those communities threatened by flames bracing for different parched, windy day.

Fires burning crossed the portion triggered a drawstring of exigency alerts and evacuation orders arsenic the hazard escalated for regions north, eastbound and westbound of Edmonton.

The fires, fanned by blowing winds, grew rapidly passim the afternoon, pushing a caller question of evacuees to exigency reception centres astatine assemblage halls and hockey rinks.

In Edmonton, an out-of-control grassfire successful the city's west halted postulation connected Anthony Henday Drive Tuesday day and forced the evacuation of immoderate businesses connected the outskirts of the city. 

WATCH | How a wildfire started adjacent Redwater: 

The wildfire information crossed overmuch of Alberta is utmost and is expected to stay that mode successful overmuch of the state wherever forests and farmland stay rain-starved and tinder-dry.

In an interrogation Tuesday, Kai Bowering, an accusation serviceman with Alberta Wildfire, said hot, adust and windy conditions are expected persist passim the week, escalating the danger. 

"The hazard is going to proceed to beryllium high," she said. "A wildfire tin commencement precise easy and dispersed rapidly nether these conditions."

According to Alberta's fire forecast, known arsenic the occurrence upwind index, the occurrence information successful overmuch of the state is rated arsenic precise precocious to extreme, with immoderate of the astir terrible areas recovered successful cardinal and bluish Alberta. 

The scale measures biology conditions and predicts how a occurrence volition behave and however overmuch harm it could do.

Bowering said the cardinal parts of the province, stretching from Grande Prairie to the Lac La Biche region, are considered the astir astatine risk.

"We are conscionable being definite to presumption firefighters and resources successful those areas of higher hazard truthful they are capable to respond to immoderate caller wildfires that mightiness start," Bowering said.  

"We are expecting these conditions to persist passim the adjacent week." 

Albertans forced to fly the flames person been told they whitethorn beryllium retired of their homes for days. 

Bowering said it's captious successful the coming weeks that Albertans bash their champion to debar sparking caller wildfires that could endanger Alberta forests oregon communities. 

"The hazard is high," she said. "Everyone should workout utmost caution."

Boyle and Athabasca County

Evacuation orders stay successful effect for the colony of Boyle, astir 150 kilometres northbound of Edmonton, and parts of Athabasca County, owed to a occurrence burning on Highway 831.

About 800 residents were ordered to permission precocious Tuesday night as exigency officials warned that a wildfire was burning astir 1.6 kilometres southbound of the colony and moving north. 

Athabasca County declared a authorities of section exigency arsenic evacuation orders were issued. 

As of 7 a.m. each homes successful the colony and eastbound of Range Road 195 to 193 and southbound of Township Road 650 remained nether evacuation.

As of Tuesday night, the occurrence threatening Boyle had burned an estimated 320 hectares.  

Thorhild County and Sturgeon County

Northeast of Edmonton, the menace of occurrence triggered caller evacuation orders Tuesday arsenic Thorhild County issued a authorities of section emergency. 

As of Wednesday morning, an evacuation bid remains successful effect for radical located connected Range Roads 211 to 214 and Township Roads 580 to 584.

Evacuees person been told beryllium prepared to beryllium distant from their homes for 3 days. 

Meanwhile a wildfire burning adjacent the Redwater Provincial Recreation Area continues to grow. Sturgeon County officials person warned adjacent residents that they should beryllium acceptable for imaginable evacuation connected abbreviated notice.

An evacuation bid Sturgeon County issued Tuesday day remains successful spot for homes northeast of the municipality of Redwater, Alta., about 65 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.

According to an exigency alert, the bid covers properties connected Range Road 213 eastbound to Range Road 203 and betwixt Township Road 580 southbound to Township Road 573.

Early Wednesday morning, Sturgeon County expanded an evacuation alert to see the Town of Redwater. An exigency reception centre established astatine Pembina Place successful Redwater is closing and evacuees are being directed to the Morinville Leisure Centre.