In central Alberta, a wildfire that destroyed some homes near Drayton Valley remained out of control Monday — four days after an evacuation order was issued for the 7,000 or so residents.
The Alberta Emergency Alert was cancelled for the area and Brazeau County said that has caused a lot of confusion for evacuees as it is not yet safe to return.
The county said rumours are circulating that the community is safe and people can return, but that is false.
Tom Thomson, the fire chief for Drayton Valley and Brazeau County Fire Services, issued an emotional plea to frustrated residents eager to return, saying crews are doing what they can to make the central Alberta community safe again.
“We are getting immense pressure from our evacuees to come back to the community and they want to come home,” he said during a situation update Monday afternoon.
“We hear you. I have a family too… that’s not here,” he said, his voice breaking with strong emotion. “Many of the people that are in place working on this incident have also been evacuated.”
“Please be patient with us. We are working very hard and we understand: everybody wants to come home.”
As of Monday evening, Alberta Wildfire said the blaze is about two kilometres from the south edge of Drayton Valley.
It is classified as out of control at just under 5,000 hectares.
Drayton Valley/Brazeau County Fire Services is the lead organization on the fire but is getting help from Alberta Wildfire firefighters and contracted helicopters. Airtankers were also supporting the firefighting efforts Monday.
So far, the fire has destroyed four homes in the rural area around Drayton Valley.
Thomson said while from a distance there may not be visible flames, the fire is still very active and with more hot, dry conditions coming in the next few days, unpredictable behaviour is expected.
“As long as the fire remains out of control, we are not going to be entertaining any re-entry to the community as this will put the public and lives at risk,” he said.
“The fire situation is still dynamic and continuously evolving.”
Thomson said there are a lot of smouldering areas and ground fires that crews want to get fully extinguished, as an increase in temperature and winds could cause flare ups.
“This fire could become very active again in a flip of a switch. It’s solely dependent on the wind and how fast we can get the hot spots under control.”
Brazeau County officials warned people not to approach the evacuation area, saying a change in weather could make the situation even more dangerous.
“You know, it looks pretty calm and quiet now and we’ve had rain for a couple of days, but at any moment this thing could explode again —and we’re right back to where we started from,” said Brazeau County Reeve Bart Guyon.
The county said there is no timeline for re-entry. An update on its website said, “It’s worth noting that this is a marathon, not a sprint. The incident is not expected to end soon.”
The province said while cooler temperatures and some light rain have reached much of Alberta, the amount is not enough to improve conditions significantly.
Fine fire fuels such as dead grass require only a few hours of warm temperatures to dry out and become flammable, Alberta Wildfire said.
“It is powerful, it is dangerous,” Drayton Valley Mayor Nancy Dodds said of the wildfire after seeing the destruction firsthand.
“These first responders have fought for our community hard. I know it’s difficult. I ask everybody to be patient.
“I know that we all want to get back into our community but your safety is the most important thing.”
Work is underway to reunite people with pets that were left behind.
The county said Drayton Valley enforcement services has been leading the response within the town and county, working with teams of peace and bylaw officers, veterinarians and locksmiths to care for animals within the evacuated areas.
“We understand that being away from your pets can be extremely difficult and stressful. Officers will be reaching out to animal owners that have registered to determine a plan to reunite you with your pets. Be aware, these calls may be coming from a private number. It is important that during these times, you are answering your calls to expedite this process,” said a Facebook post Monday night.
Guyon praised area farmers and acreage owners who he said have been taking measures into their own hands: using their own heavy equipment or hiring help to build fire breaks and disc up fields.
“A lot of people are doing a lot of things that you just wouldn’t expect,” Guyon said.
“There’s some pretty fancy places that are out there and they’re still turning the soil and ripping up the ground in an effort to do what they can to try to help prevent the fire from having another runaway.”
The evacuation order remains in effect from Township 480 north to Township 494 and Range Road 64 west to Range Road 90. This includes the entire community of Drayton Valley.
North of Highway 39 on the east side of the North Saskatchewan River is not part of the evacuation order, the county said.
Alberta’s wildfire situation remains volatile as firefighters race to contain the 89 active wildfires, 27 of which are considered out of control, across the province in the second week of burning.
Reception centres are operating in Edmonton and Calgary to help evacuees and arrange for shelter.
The provincial government on Monday announced financial aid: a one-time payment worth $1,250 per adult and $500 per dependent child.
The money is to be available starting Tuesday via e-transfer and only to those forced to spend at least seven consecutive days away from home. People can apply online or by phoning 310-4455.
With files from The Canadian Press
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