Crews fighting to protect Edson, Alta., as wildfire grows to more than 200,000 hectares | CBC News

Crews are still working to contain a wildfire threatening the town of Edson, Alta., and some parts of Yellowhead County, as the fire continues to grow.

“It’s slower today, but that doesn’t mean that risk is over,” Edson chief administrative officer Christine Beveridge said Sunday in a fire update live on Facebook.

Luc Mercier, Yellowhead County’s chief administrative officer, echoed Beveridge’s caution.

“These fires are on our doorstep and … have the ability to be a significant danger in a matter of minutes,” Mercier said.

The wildfire, known as EWF031, has grown to more than 200,000 hectares, up from 130,000 hectares on Friday.

According to the Alberta Wildfire dashboard, as of Sunday, there are 79 fires burning across the province, including 77 in the forest protection areas. Twenty-five fires are listed as out of control.

Edson’s 8,400 residents were ordered Friday evening to evacuate the town. It’s the second time this wildfire season the town 200 kilometres west of Edmonton has fallen under an evacuation order.

Caroline Charbonneau, an information officer with Alberta Wildfire, said Sunday the fire is only two kilometres south of Edson.

“Friday night that fire moved so quickly because of the strong winds,” Charbonneau said in an interview.

“[Monday] we don’t expect very strong winds but the winds have been so unpredictable that we can’t take any chances.”

Mercier said Yellowhead County had been planning on winding down its emergency response operations two days before the evacuation order was given.

“That idea went out the door when the fires just went over control very drastically again,” he said.

He said the fire’s rapid growth shows the volatility of Alberta’s wildfire situation 

FortisAlberta — the company that manages the electricity distribution system in the Edson area — said in a social media update that it is working with the emergency operations centre in Yellowhead County to access the wildfire damage to power lines.

AltaLink —  Alberta’s largest regulated electricity transmission company — said transmission infrastructure that supplies power to areas west of Edson, including Jasper and Hinton, has not been impacted by wildfire damage.

Hot temperatures are expected to last until Wednesday. Evacuees have been told they may not be allowed to return home before then.

Firefighters have been putting structural guards in place and patrolling neighbourhoods. They have been moving combustible objects such as propane tanks, barbecues and hanging planters away from homes.

The county is getting help in the form of additional sprinkler systems and water bombers.

‘Not again’

Edson residents Calvin Bootsman and Pamela Holden made their way to the Edmonton Expo Centre, which has been set up as a reception centre for evacuees.

They said having to evacuate again is a reminder of how uncertain the situation is in the province.

“Not again, I just couldn’t believe we were having to do it again,” Holden said in an interview with CBC.

“It looked like the apocalypse was coming,” Bootsman said. “The fire was about three kilometres from where we lived and by midnight when we left, you can see the glow and the tip of the flames.”

While Bootsman appreciates the help being provided, he said he hopes more crews will be brought in to process evacuees more quickly.

“The only thing is they needed to process in teams with people because there’s so many people stressed out angry.”