Extreme Risk for More ‘Volatile’ Alberta Wildfires as Heat Wave Blankets Province, Officials Warn

Fires near the 140-acre property belonging to Alberta farmer Fred Young during the May 2023 wildfires. Courtesy of Grant Taillieu

With the temperature expected to reach close to 30 C in parts of Edmonton, the province says the fire danger is growing from very high to extreme levels in many northern areas of the province. Officials say that residents need to be prepared to urgently evacuate with very little warning.

The situation is expected to remain “volatile,” Colin Blair, executive director of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, said during a May 14 news conference at 3 p.m..

“The wildfire situation is extremely volatile. Hot and dry conditions throughout much of Alberta present an ever-increasing risk of new wildfires starting and the potential for current wildfires to grow quickly. This situation represents a significant and unpredictable threat to many communities in our province,” said Blair.

“I cannot stress strongly enough the need for residents to be prepared in case there is an urgent need to evacuate. Things can change quickly, and an evacuation order may be issued with little warning,” he added.

“It is crucial to pack an emergency kit that will last for a week or more, with essential items like medication identification, a first aid kit, flashlights, batteries, nonperishable, food, cash, and clothing. The kit should be kept in an accessible location. And please have a plan for your pets.”

The province is in a state of emergency, with 89 active wildfires burning as of 4:45 p.m. local time and with 25 of those classified as burning out of control.

The provincial wildfire dashboard shows the the forest areas of Slave Lake, High Level, Rocky Mountain House, and Edson continue to see the most hectares burned.

However, there are ongoing fires in areas north of Red Deer both to the east and west up as far as the town of High Level and Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta.

The numbers do not include areas where a municipal government is in charge of fire operations.

At the 3 p.m. news update on May 14, Blair said Alberta continued to be under a provincial state of emergency and that, in addition, there were 14 evacuation orders in effect. Over 19,300 Albertans remain evacuated, he noted, adding that the number of evacuees has increased because three new evacuation orders had been issued in the last 24 hours.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith meets with members of the military in Edmonton, who are on standby to help with the wildfires, before she gave an update on the situation in the province on May 8, 2023. The Canadian Press/Jason Franson

The province on May 8 reported that the province had over 700 wildland firefighters actively working to contain the fires, but at a May 14 afternoon news conference, Alberta Wildfires information officer Josee St-Onge said there were now more than 1,500 firefighters responding to the wildfire situation, working with with heavy equipment and air tankers.

St-Onge said the provincial helicopter operators were aiding their efforts by dropping water on hot spots with their buckets. A 5:45 p.m. news update on May 14 said Alberta currently has 151 helicopters and 25 fixed-wing aircraft responding to the wildfires in the province.

The update said more than 800 wildland firefighters have come from British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, the Yukon, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Oregon, Alaska, Washington, Montana, and Parks Canada. This includes 200 who recently arrived from the United States.

The Canadian Armed Forces are also assisting, and an additional 100 soldiers will be deployed in the coming days, the update said.

In addition, fireguards are being built or reinforced in various communities to help control the spread of fire, said Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis at the May 13 news conference.

Fireguards are barriers created by removing trees and other vegetation, essentially eliminating the fuel for the fire, and they can also be used to backstop burnouts of flammable fuels, Ellis explained. He noted that fireguards are an important part of helping to fight wildfires when used with other operational tactics such as air tankers, helicopters, and ground crews.

Premier Danielle Smith travelled to Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and other parts of northern Alberta on May 13. She said the situation and the amount of damage caused by the wildfires was “devastating.”

“The number of structures that have been obliterated really is pretty sobering, to see how quickly fire can sweep through and the kind of damage it can cause,” said Smith.

The premier said the province has asked for an additional 1,000 firefighters.