Photo: Alberta Wildfire

By Shaun Penner (With files from the Canadian Press)

Wildfires

Evacuation orders lifted as rain helps wildfire situation

Jun 25, 2019 | 11:22 AM

Around 8100 people from northwestern Alberta are being allowed to return to their homes as threats from wildfires diminish.

Residents in Mackenzie County, including the hamlet of La Crete and the Rocky Lane and High Level areas north of the Peace River, were able to return last night, while members of the Beaver and Dene Tha’ First Nations are going home today.

That means for the first time in weeks, there are no active mandatory evacuation orders in the province. An evacuation alert remains in place in the area of Range Road 164 to Range Road 150, south of the Peace River, north and south of Highway 697. The Town of High Level rescinded its alert yesterday.

The government says rain in recent days has helped firefighters, however the Chuckegg and Jackpot Creek wildfires remain out of control. The Chuckegg blaze has burned over 332,000 hectares since May 12, while the Jackpot Creek fire has burned over 77,000 hectares.

The province says crews are making progress on those fire, though. They also received more help today, as 101 firefighters from Jalisco, Mexico have arrived in the Northern part of the province to help get those fires under control.

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Meanwhile in the Grande Prairie Forest Area, the wildfire danger has been brought down to low because of the wet weather in recent days. Rain is expected throughout most of the week.