Valleyview residents ordered to leave as Alberta wildfire evacuations continue

Residents of another community in northern Alberta were ordered to leave Monday afternoon because of wildfires, this time roughly 1,600 people from the Town of Valleyview.

An Alberta Emergency Alert was issued at 1:31 p.m. and residents were asked to go southeast on Highway 43 to Whitecourt.

"It's very scary. Didn't think it would happen this close to home," said area resident Kyle Beaver.

"This is crazy, as crazy as it gets. Everything is on fire around us so everybody has gotta get out of here and everybody is trying to find gas," said a man headed from Peace River to Edmonton. 

Two out-of-control wildfires are burning near the town: one to the west near the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and one to the north, according to Alberta Wildfire.

"One of the fires has moved beyond its fireguard and certainly I believe the change in wind direction would be a factor," said Christie Tucker with Alberta Wildfire.

Valleyview residents were asked to register at the Allan & Jean Millar Centre in Whitecourt and were told to bring essentials for three days.

Anyone who needed help to leave was asked to go to Polar Palace Arena or call 780-524-9583.

"Most of the fire guards were able to get completed over the last few days with the cooler weather, just before all this heat came up over the weekend. But fire guards are great until the wind comes up," explained Tyler Olsen, reeve of M.D. of Greenview.

"They have jumped a few [fire] guards and with the wind changing tonight, that was the prompt for the evacuation changes."

Olsen said sprinklers have been installed to protect houses in the hamlets in his area and he believes the same will be done in Valleyview in the coming days.

He said he was getting updates every hour and thanked people in the area for complying with the orders and being patient.

Rural residents west of Valleyview, including the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, were evacuated to Grande Prairie on May 5. That order was expanded Monday.

At least 45 buildings in Sturgeon Lake have been destroyed by wildfire so far this month.

"The wildfire situation continues to be extremely volatile. Hot and dry conditions throughout much of the province are creating the perfect storm for fires to start and grow quickly," said Colin Blair, executive director of Alberta Emergency Management Agency.

On Monday, about 17,400 people were evacuated from their communities in Alberta because of 90 wildfires burning in the forest protection area.

Wildfires burning near the town of Valleyview on May 15, 2023. (Source: Alberta Wildfire)