Wildfire threat prompts evacuation order for Athabasca County, state of local emergency

Emily Williams · CBC News

· Posted: May 06, 2025 8:08 PM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

A mandatory evacuation bid is successful effect for parts of Athabasca County owed to a wildfire, prompting the assemblage and the adjacent Village of Boyle to each state a authorities of section emergency.

An exigency alert issued astatine 5:46 p.m. states that wildfire is burning southbound of Boyle on Highway 831 betwixt the Boyle Fishpond and Ellscott turnoff. The evacuation bid is successful effect for residents eastbound of Range Road 194 and southbound of Township 644 successful Athabasca County.

Everyone eastbound of Range Road 195 and southbound of Township 650 should besides beryllium prepared to evacuate if notified. 

Those evacuating should question northbound along Highway 63/55 toward Lac La Biche to the reception centre astatine Parkland Motels II.

South winds are pushing the occurrence toward Boyle and section crews are presently warring the fire. The colony is nether an evacuation alert, meaning residents should hole for an evacuation and battalion a container for the adjacent 72 hours.

An exigency alert issued astatine 6:25 p.m. besides advises to not question southbound connected Highway 831.

A occurrence burning adjacent Redwater put another evacuation alert notice in spot for different residents in Thorhild County Tuesday afternoon. This alert is successful effect for residents connected Range Road 203-211 and Township Road 580-584.

The authorities of section exigency means that helium section authorization whitethorn instrumentality immoderate enactment it deems indispensable to woody with the situation.

Alberta Wildfire has started providing firefighting assistance, according to the provincial dashboard.