Residents of a community in northern Alberta have been told to prepare for a possible evacuation as powerful and unpredictable winds fan the flames of a wildfire burning nearby.
An evacuation alert issued for Swan Hills Sunday evening was upgraded shortly after 12 p.m. Monday.
Residents have now been told they should be prepared to leave their homes with an hour’s notice.
A wildfire is burning about eight kilometres north of the town of about 1,300 residents.
Swan Hills is about 220 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
The fire, estimated at about 1,600 hectares, continues to burn out of control with high temperatures and strong winds in the forecast.
Josee St-Onge, an Alberta Wildfire information officer, said Monday the fire is currently burning away from the town, but conditions could change.
“We have a cold front coming in through the province and it’s bringing with it some really strong, gusty winds coming out of the west, but they’re very variable,” she said.
“These winds are changing quickly and causing some intensity in the fire behaviour.
“There is a chance that the winds could change and not in our favour. Wind is hard to predict but we’re preparing for that possibility.”
Along with the shifting winds, Swan Hills is also bracing for severe thunderstorms.
The region is among a stretch of Alberta communities under a thunderstorm watch Monday afternoon. Environment Canada warns of severe storms that may produce strong winds, lightning and hail.
Other parts of the province are under heat warnings as sweltering temperatures near 30 C return to the forecast, escalating the wildfire risk.
According to an Alberta Emergency Alert, everyone in the Swan Hills area should prepare to leave their homes. They should gather their pets, important documents and have enough food, water, fuel and supplies to last at least three days.
County officials say, if evacuation orders are issued, a reception centre for residents will be set up in Whitecourt, a town about 80 kilometres to the south of Swan Hills.
St-Onge said the forecast is expected to intensify this afternoon and to remain challenging for days ahead with hot, dry and windy conditions.
“We’re going to have to continue to focus our resources on containing the wildfire because it doesn’t look like Mother Nature is going to do it for us.”
The fire threatening the town was first detected Sunday afternoon west of Highway 33, the main route leading north out of town.
Crews continued to battle the flames overnight, focusing on the southern flank closest to the community.
Smoke was visible throughout the town as the fire grew rapidly, expanding from 65 hectares to 1,600 hectares by Sunday night.
The wildfire danger in the Slave Lake Forest Area is considered extreme due to hot, dry and windy conditions.
Provincial wildfire forecasts for Monday urge caution among crews involved in fighting fires in Alberta Monday as gusty, shifting winds are expected through the hottest part of the day.
A helicopter equipped with night vision, firefighters and three heavy equipment groups worked through the night. Water skimming airtankers, along with firefighters, helicopters and the heavy equipment groups, will continue to work on containment Monday, officials said.
St-Onge said crews will also be out assessing the town this afternoon to determine how best to protect buildings and key infrastructure that may fall into the path of the flames.
The fire near Swan Hills is one of three out-of-control wildfires listed in Alberta as of 11:30 a.m. Monday.
The wildfire danger forecast is listed as extreme for much of the rest of the week across larges swaths of the Alberta and Saskatchewan.
St-Onge said much of the province is parched. While the situation in Swan Hills has become increasingly critical, crews have fared better in Yellowhead County. where a wildfire is burning out of control six kilometres west of Mercoal and 16 kilometres southwest of Robb.
An evacuation alert remains in effect but some relative calm and cool in the overnight forecast Sunday provided some relief to crews, curbing some of the fire’s intensity.
As of 11 a.m. Monday, the fire continued to burn out of control but increased humidity and smoke from the fire itself had helped crews overnight.
The fire covers nearly 400 hectares of forest, about 250 kilometres west of Edmonton, and is burning toward the north and northeast.
Firefighters, heavy equipment and a helicopter worked through the night to prevent the spread of the wildfire. They prioritized the east side, which is the closest to Mercoal. Airtankers were on scene yesterday and will return Monday afternoon if they’re needed officials said.
Yellowhead County continues to work with provincial crews to establish structural protection units to help protect buildings in the area under the risk. These sprinkler systems can be quickly activated, helping to guard homes and business from potential damage from flying embers.
