The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on Friday April 13, 2018. Residents of a hamlet approximately 80 kilometres west of Edmonton have been ordered to evacuate due to an encroaching grass fire.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
ENTWISTLE, Alta. – Residents of three communities west of Edmonton have been ordered to evacuate their homes due to an encroaching grass fire.
RCMP say due to high winds, a fire in Parkland County is quickly heading west towards the hamlets of Entwistle and Evansburg.
Alberta Emergency Alert says Parkland County has ordered that everyone west of Range Road 65, north of Township Road 530 to Township Road 534, including all residents of Entwistle, must evacuate immediately.
A second emergency alert has ordered all residents of the hamlet of Evansburg and those in the area directly south of the hamlet in Yellowhead County to evacuate their properties immediately.
Just before 3 a.m. local time, the Alberta Emergency Management Agency issued a third emergency alert for Yellowhead County. All residents in the Lobstick Resort and those from Range Road 92 and Township Road 542 to Township Road 550 in Yellowhead County are ordered to immediately leave the area.
The critical alerts advised people to collect important documents, medications, and enough food and water to be away for at least three days.
Evacuees from Entwistle are advised to head west on Highway 16, while those from Evansburg should also head west. RCMP say people in Entwistle can go to Tomahawk Community Centre, while those in Evansburg should go to the Wildwood Recreation Complex or the Peers Multiplex. Evacuees from Yellowhead County are bring told to go to the Wildwood Hall.
They say further information will be provided at those locations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2023.
