'Definitely nerve-wracking': Out-of-control wildfire puts Saprae Creek on temporary evacuation alert
An out-of-control wildfire on the weekend put people living in the hamlet of Saprae Creek, about 25 kilometres southeast of Fort McMurray, on evacuation alert temporarily.
"Your heart kind of sinks and you get really nervous especially if you were here in 2016, which we were, we were in this house, same place," said Trish Trefry, who lives in the hamlet.
Trefry said the fire is four to five kilometres away from her home.
"We bought out in the woods to have the woods, now they're pretty much all gone. There's been a lot of re-growth but there's a lot of stuff to still burn out there, obviously, since it's so close," she said.
The alert was first issued on Sunday afternoon, and by evening, the fire was reported as being 30 hectares in size on the Alberta Wildfire dashboard.
"It was definitely nerve-wracking, but you just get some stuff together and just get ready to go," said Trefry.
"Everybody put a little bag together. Tanks are full of fuel and ready to go if we need to," she added.
As of Monday, the wildfire known as MWF-012 was reported to be 67 hectares in size.
The evacuation alert was cancelled later Monday and the blaze was reclassified as being held.
According to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB), there were four firefighting crews, six helicopters, two airtanker groups and five heavy equipment groups battling the fire.
During an interview with CTV News Edmonton from Trefry's home, there was no sign of the wildfire raging nearby.
"The day of evacuation in 2016, it was exactly the same," she said. "You couldn't see a thing in the horizon, and then all of a sudden, the wind changed direction, something happened and it was black."
In a video posted to social media, RMWB Mayor Sandy Bowman addressed residents under the evacuation alert.
"We know from our experience that this can be very stressful," he said. "We are here to support you, to protect the community and do everything we can to be there for you."
"There's a really great response and they've been hitting it hard," said Trefry of the firefighting efforts.
"I'm confident that they'll get it under control, but obviously, there's always that nagging feeling in the back because I thought that too in 2016," she added.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
Community mourns victims of fatal boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
The three people killed in last weekend's tragic collision between a speedboat and a fishing boat north of Kingston are being remembered Friday.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
American Airlines drops law firm that said a 9-year-old girl should have seen camera on toilet seat
American Airlines has replaced the law firm that told a judge a nine-year-old girl was negligent in not noticing there was a camera phone taped to the seat in an airplane lavatory.
Nicki Minaj detained by police in Amsterdam for allegedly possessing soft drugs
American rapper Nicki Minaj said she was held at Amsterdam Schiphol airport on Saturday on allegation of possession of soft drugs.
1 dead, 3 in hospital after flying wheel crashes into bus windshield on QEW
A man is dead, and three others are in hospital after a flying wheel crashed into a coach bus on the QEW in St. Catharines.
BREAKING Fatal plane crash reported near Squamish, B.C.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is working with local Mounties and the BC Coroners Service after a plane crash near Squamish, B.C. Friday night.
Public safety minister pledges to 'massively' reduce auto theft
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc insists the federal government is 'doing everything (it) can' to eliminate auto thefts in Canada, and he hopes to see 'a significant reduction quickly' following this week's announcement of new measures to counter the problem.