YELLOWHEAD COUNTY – Residents forced to evacuate the communities of Robb, Mercoal and Peers due to two separate wildfires will be able to return at noon on Tuesday (June 3).
Yellowhead County Mayor Wade Williams said in a Monday (June 2) update that although both wildfires remain classified as out of control, firefighters had “breathing room” and would continue battling these active fires until they were extinguished.
“Many, many people have been working around the clock to save these communities,” Williams said. “With no loss of human life and no structural loss, I have to say a job well done. You should all be proud.”
Albert Bahri, general manager of protective services, said they were turning the gas back on in evacuated communities and moving fire equipment so residents can get back into their driveways. Crews will remain in these areas for roughly the next week.
“It’s a busy day for everybody, but it’s not over,” Bahri said. “These fires are not out yet, they’re not under control yet but we are making the communities safe for that re-entry.”
Yellowhead County has also received reports of equipment used for fire suppression being stolen.
“If you see anything that looks skullduggerous or [anyone who] shouldn’t be in the area and they’re messing around with firefighting equipment, please dial 911 immediately,” Bahri said.
Williams reminded county residents to be prepared for evacuation and asked recreationalists to be “extra diligent” in preventing wildfires.
“We cannot control Mother Nature, so all we can do is our part,” he said.
He added Yellowhead County had experienced worse wildfires in 2023, which forced Edson to be evacuated, and the lessons that were learned helped operations go more smoothly this time.
The wildfire near Mercoal and Robb, around 50 kilometres southeast of Hinton, is around 320 hectares and was caused by lightning. Although receiving hail and snow on Saturday (May 31), this only dampened the surface without soaking deeper.
“Because wildfires can smoulder underground in root systems, peat layers, or decaying logs, this wildfire will continue to produce smoke and could resume with flame,” Alberta Wildfire stated in an update.
Firefighters will continue to look for and extinguish hotspots.
The wildfire near Peers is 728 hectares, and the cause is under investigation. The high humidity is helping with firefighting efforts, but Alberta Wildfire warned that high winds would dry fine fuels and encourage fire spread.
A 10-hectare wildfire 12 kilometres northeast of Cynthia is now classified as being held. Alberta wildfire says crews made progress searching for and extinguishing hotspots on Sunday (June 1).
Highway 32 near Peers has reopened, but Bahri said it could close again if the wildfire near Peers grows bigger. The highways adjacent to the Mercoal fire have also reopened. Check 511 Alberta for updates.
The fire danger in the Edson Forest Area is now moderate due to cooler temperatures and precipitation, but the fire danger is expected to increase in the coming days. In Jasper National Park, the fire danger is rated as moderate.
Yellowhead County residents can get regular updates about the wildfire at the County’s Facebook page or Alberta Wildfire’s website. Re-entry information for evacuees can be found here.
Call 310-FIRE to report a suspected wildfire.
