Residents of areas northeast of Edmonton ordered to evacuate due to wildfires

Residents in rural areas northeast of Edmonton have been ordered to leave their homes because of separate wildfires. Thorhild County has issued a state of local emergency and an evacuation order for an area south of the hamlet of Radway, Alta., while Athabasca County has issued an evacuation order for an area south of the village of Boyle, Alta.

The village has declared a state of local emergency and is under an evacuation alert, with residents being told to prepare to leave by packing a bag for the next 72 hours. Athabasca County is directing its evacuees to a reception centre at Parkland Motels II in Lac La Biche, Alta. Earlier in the afternoon, Sturgeon County issued an evacuation order as a fire burned near the Redwater Provincial Recreation Area. It says the order affects people living east of Redwater, roughly 61 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.

Affected residents are being told to gather important documents and medication and sign up for supports at the Pembina Place reception centre. The municipality says major fire activity was expected due to high winds and that crews are working to put out the fire. Officials have said the out-of-control blaze started over the weekend because of an all-terrain vehicle that caught fire after an apparent electrical or mechanical failure. They say crews would be conducting air drops of retardant materials in the area.