'People are on edge': Lessons learned after 2023 wildfire and flood evacuations in Edson
People living in Edson were forced to flee their homes twice last spring.
"We refer to them as emergencies one, two and three," said Edson's Mayor, Kevin Zahara.
The town 195 kilometres west of Edmonton was evacuated twice due to wildfires, then was hit by flooding.
"We're approaching the one-year anniversary of what occurred in our community and it's very dry outside," Zahara said.
"People are on edge," he said, adding "we just cross our fingers that we don't have to face the same sort of situation."
But if they do, Zahara said the town is in a better position to deal with it.
The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
An 'after action report' was completed, which outlined things the municipality needed to work on.
Zahara said prior to the 2023 evacuations, none of the town's staff had any formal training to deal with emergencies.
"All of our staff now have some sort of training in incident command response, and we also have a number of employees that have advanced training now," he said.
Through donations from industry, he said the Edson Fire Department has more equipment to respond to wildfires this year.
"As well, we are in the process of procuring a structural protection unit for our fire department," said Zahara.
"It was actually in the budget last year prior to the wildfires, but unfortunately, we did not have it acquired in time."
Emergency social services training was also offered to volunteers in the event Edson becomes an evacuation location.
Through a grant, the town was also able to clear trees and debris to reduce wildifre risk.
Zahara said even residents are preparing for whatever this wildfire season brings.
"They have an emergency kit ready to go. There's others that have saved up funds, that are concerned they might have to be evacuated again and what kind of financial impact that's going to have on them," he said.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Balancing act: Canadian North’s first Inuk CEO juggles Arctic airline challenges
With carriers' flight volumes above the 60th parallel hovering below pre-pandemic levels, Canadian North’s first Inuk CEO now bears the task of balancing those financial and logistical challenges with the needs of communities for which she feels a deep affinity.
Sherpa guide Kami Rita scales Mount Everest for 29th time, extending his own record again
One of greatest climbing guides on Mount Everest has scaled the world's highest peak for the 29th time, extending his own record for most times to the summit, expedition organizers said Sunday.
Feds 'committed to doing more,' but minister offers no timeline for Canadian Disability Benefit boost
Amid significant criticism from advocates, Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities Minister Kamal Khera is defending her government's long-promised, newly unveiled Canada Disability Benefit, calling the funds an "initial step," but without laying out a timeline for future expansion of the program.
RCMP boss expresses desire for new law to deal with threats against politicians
RCMP commissioner Mike Duheme says he wants the government to look at drafting a new law that would make it easier for police to pursue charges against people who threaten elected officials.
4th Indian national arrested, charged with murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Homicide investigators in B.C. say murder charges have been laid against a fourth Indian national in connection to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara last year.
In progressive Argentina, the 2SLGBTQ+ community says President Milei has turned back the clock
Past left-leaning presidents who enacted some of the most socially liberal policies on the continent have given way to a self-proclaimed "anarcho-capitalist" whose fiery appraisals of social justice and efforts to dismantle diversity and equity programs have made him into a global far-right icon.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.