Out-of-control wildfire forces evacuation of northern Alberta community
Chipewyan Lake in northern Alberta was evacuated Thursday night as an out-of-control wildfire burned toward the community.
The Alberta Emergency Alert for the community 450 kilometres north of Edmonton was issued at 10:21 p.m.
"There is out of control wildfire east of Chipewyan Lake," the alert read. "It is burning west towards the community. The wildfire threatens the only route in and out."
Residents were told to evacuate immediately and bring important documents and medications.
The wildfire spurred the Municipal District of Opportunity to declare a state of emergency and to issue an evacuation order for 89 residents of the unincorporated community on the southern shore of the lake, which is 377 kilometres north of Edmonton.
A reception centre has been set up at the Lakeview Sports Centre, located at 102 Opportunity Dr. in Wabasca-Desmarais.
Officials with Alberta Wildfire said the wildfire near Chipewyan Lake, named HWF061, is sized 2,200 hectares, and is about 20 kilometres northwest of the community and 22 kilometres from Chip Road.
Provincial wildfire update
As of Friday afternoon, 144 wildfires are burning in Alberta's Forest Protection Area, 55 of them out of control, Christie Tucker, Alberta Wildfire's information unit manager, said in a media update.
Since Jan. 1, 887 wildfires have been recorded in the province's Forest Protection Area, which includes most of northern Alberta and foothills regions alongside the Rocky Mountains.
The fires have burned more than 413,000 hectares
Of the 887 wildfires:
- 58 are classified as out of control, 42 are being held and 46 are under control;
- 741 of them have been extinguished;
- 377 of them have started since July 1, half of them caused by lightning, Tucker said;
- And temperatures 10 C above normal are contributing to greater fire risk.
Semo Complex fire
The wildfire that led to last week's evacuation of Garden River, HWF061, is classified as out of control and is more than 62,000 hectares in size;
It sits 19 kilometres northwest of the community about 575 kilometres north of Edmonton and 195 kilometres east of High Level.
An evacuation order on July 11 saw 981 residents relocate to John D'Or Prairie, High Level and Peace River.
Janvier fire
A wildfire 15 kilometres south of Janvier is classified as out of control and is more than 500 hectares in size.
The fire, labelled LWF136, put the hamlet of Janvier and Janvier First Nation under an evacuation alert. Residents are asked to prepare to evacuate on short notice.
Janvier is 100 kilometres southeast of Fort McMurray and 320 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
N.Y. prosecutors charge Luigi Mangione with murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO, court records show
Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors filed murder and other charges against Luigi Nicholas Mangione in the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO, according to an online court docket.
Union dropped wage demand to 19% over four years in Canada Post negotiations: CUPW
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has reportedly dropped its wage demand to 19 per cent over four years, CUPW negotiator Jim Gallant told CTV News.
Taxpayer-funded Eras Tour tickets returned by federal minister
While tens of thousands of fans packed Vancouver's BC Place for the last shows of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour this weekend, a federal cabinet minister wasn't one of them.
Sudbury, Ont., family traumatized after hospital said loved one had been released, when in fact they had passed away
Sudbury resident Angela Vitiello says a staff member at Health Sciences North told her that her brother, Allan St. Martin, was released from the hospital late last month when, in fact, he had passed away.
What the upcoming holiday GST relief will mean for consumers
The federal government's GST break will arrive this Saturday, just in time for the last stretch of holiday shopping.
Liberal government survives third Conservative non-confidence vote
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's latest attempt to topple the minority Liberal government in a non-confidence vote failed on Monday, thanks to the New Democrats.
Katie Holmes refutes story about daughter Suri Cruise’s fortune
Katie Holmes has posted a screen grab of a Daily Mail article, which reported that her 18-year old daughter, whose father is Tom Cruise, is now a "millionaire."
Polygamous U.S. sect leader gets 50 years in prison in scheme to orchestrate sex involving children
A polygamist religious leader in the U.S. who claimed more than 20 spiritual “wives” including 10 underage girls was sentenced to 50 years in prison on Monday.
Trudeau says dealing with Trump will be 'a little more challenging' than last time
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said dealing with incoming president Donald Trump and his thundering on trade will be 'a little more challenging' than the last time.