'Situation has escalated': Edson residents ordered to evacuate because of wildfire
For the second time in about a month, residents of Edson were told to leave town Friday night because of a wildfire.
An Alberta Emergency Alert was issued at 6:22 p.m. after the "fire jumped fire guards."
"Due to increased fire activity, fires are becoming increasingly unpredictable. These fires are moving closer to more populated areas including the Town of Edson," the alert said.
"There could be impacts to roads and highways as the fire crosses blocking off points of egress for evacuation. The reception centre is the Edmonton Expo Centre."
There were at least four out-of-control fires burning east and south of Edson Friday, and according to Alberta Wildfire, about 240,000 hectares has burned.
The alert included some residents of Yellowhead County. Anyone without transportation was asked to call 1-833-334-4630.
"Western boundary of evacuation zone is Range Rd 200. Northern boundary is Township 570 to Range Rd 160 then north to Township 580 east to Highway 751 and south to Township 520," the county Facebook page stated.
A post from the town clarified that people do not have to go to Edmonton if they have somewhere else to stay, but were asked to register by phone at 1-833-334-4630.
"The situation has escalated and we’re asking everyone to start preparing to leave," a Facebook post from town said at 5:45 p.m.
"The fire south of Edson, in the Shining Bank area is showing extreme fire behaviour and we’ve had numerous new starts today as well."
"It is really important that people follow the order as those that stay behind could impact fire operations. In an evacuation there is no emergency medical assistance (hospital/ambulance) and other emergency crews are busy dealing with the situation at hand. You could pull crews away from something important or be at risk of having no help."
Edson residents were told to evacuate west to Hinton on May 5 because of fire, but were allowed to return a few days later.
About 8,000 people live in Edson, which is roughly 200 kilometres west of Edmonton.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.