Northern Alberta residents stay back to help protect community from wildfire
Mike Mercredi is staying back to protect his northern Alberta community from a nearby wildfire after hundreds of people were forced to evacuate the area.
The volunteer firefighter from Fort Chipewyan, Alta., says he is among a group of community members on standby who have been setting up sprinklers on neighbourhood streets as crews work to contain the flames north of the hamlet.
“We’re staying behind to fight so we don’t lose our homes,” Mercredi said. “I don’t have to worry about myself — I’ve got experience and I’m already taken care of. My boat is ready, I got gas in there, I got water, I got food, I’ve got a generator, my coffee pot and my dog.”
On Tuesday evening, an evacuation order was issued for Fort Chipewyan, about 730 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, as an out-of-control fire burns about 10 kilometres north of the community.
Alberta fire officials said Thursday 731 people have registered to evacuate from the hamlet. People have been airlifted or are leaving by boat, and evacuations are to continue as needed.
Bre Hutchinson, the executive director of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, told reporters some community members are staying behind to fight the fire if needed.
"We work with the local authorities to ensure that they have the appropriate protective equipment and understand when to move," she said.
"We suggest to all Albertans, if there's an evacuation order in place, that they must leave unless their local authority has included them in some form of the response and they have all the right safety protocols and procedures in place to ensure that they can get out when needed."
Mercredi said he’s been told he’ll be given a 30-minute warning to leave in case the fire closes in on the community.
He said he can use the nearby Lake Athabasca as an escape route if it comes to that point. Boats are already waiting at the launch area, he said.
“I know if I end up having to leave, there's nothing to defend. We lost. So, I'm here until that point,” he said. “Fear kind of goes out the window when you want to fight, and you don’t use fear to fight because you’ll lose.”
Officials don't believe the fire near the community has grown. Crews are battling 60 active fires across Alberta but the one near Fort Chipewyan remains a top priority.
Christine Tucker, the Alberta Wildfire information unit manager, said more than 10,000 square kilometres have already burned across the province.
Tucker said 175 firefighters from Yukon, British Columbia and the United States have arrived to help battle the flames. An additional 215 crew members from South Africa are to arrive Saturday.
She said about 4,325 people have not been able to return home.
In neighbouring Saskatchewan, officials there say they may need extra help to fight fires in the northern region.
Steve Roberts, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency’s vice-president of operations, said Thursday that the province might request additional resources from within the country or internationally should it need to provide relief to local firefighters.
“We have a request out to check for availability of crews,” Roberts said. “We know that those resources might be tight in Canada based on what is happening in Nova Scotia and what is happening in Alberta at this time, but we have some preliminary inquires to see what availability we have.”
As of Thursday, Saskatchewan was battling 20 wildfires in the north. Seven of the fires are not contained and four require crews to protect property.
Many people in northern Saskatchewan haven’t been able to return home due to fires.
On Wednesday, community members identified as high-risk evacuated La Loche and Clearwater River Dene Nation. High-risk individuals include those with health issues, children under five and pregnant people.
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency is supporting 81 people from La Loche in Regina, as well as hundreds of others from various communities in Lloydminster and North Battleford.
This is the second time La Loche and Clearwater River Dene Nation have been evacuated this spring.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2023
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.