A burned section of forest in the area near Edson, Alta., smoulders, Saturday, May 6, 2023. Wildfires that forced the evacuation of the town west of Edmonton continue to menace the community, with crews also battling heavy, vision-obscuring smoke. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Government of Alberta Fire Service
EDSON, Alta. – A wildfire that forced the evacuation of a town west of Edmonton continues to menace the community with crews also battling heavy, vision-obscuring smoke.
Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara says the fire remains within 1.5 kilometres of his town’s southern outskirts, giving crews little time to respond if the blaze flares up or shifts.
The evacuation order is also in place for adjoining sections of Yellowhead County and won’t be reassessed until Wednesday at the earliest.
Christine Beveridge, the chief administrative officer for Edson, says some residents are returning to the town despite the evacuation order.
Beveridge urges those residents to leave, saying crews can’t offer assistance while also fighting the fire.
There are about 14,000 residents across Alberta out of their homes due to fires scattered through the northern and western areas of the province.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2023.
