'Raining down ash': Fast-moving wildfire continues to rage in Alberta
Trees, flanked by flames and turned into blackened columns of smoke, lined the road to safety for Jessica Adams.
She was among at least 100 people forced from their homes Monday as a fast-moving wildfire triggered an evacuation order in Woodlands County, southeast of Whitecourt, Alta.
Adams said she fears her neighbours’ homes on Bison Road were in the path of the flames.
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Footage she and her partner John Gross captured on their phones during the evacuation Monday evening showed massive plumes of smoke encroaching on the road near their home as flames flared high in the treeline.
“It was getting really bad. There were flames on both sides of the road as we were pulling out,” Adams said in an interview with CBC News Tuesday.
“It was unworldly. You see it on the news and you see it happen to everybody else but you don’t think you’ll live that.”
A wildfire threatening homes near Whitecourt continues to rage a few kilometres southeast of the northern Alberta town.
The wildfire, detected Monday afternoon, grew rapidly in parched conditions and in a matter of hours, had triggered an evacuation order in parts of Woodlands County.
As of Tuesday morning, the fire continued to burn out of control about 3.5 kilometers southeast of Whitecourt, a town of more than 10,000 people about 180 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
In an update on Tuesday, officials with Alberta Wildfire said crews had made “good progress” in building a containment line around the fire but there is still work to be done.
An image of the fire near Whitecourt captured by evacuee Jessica Adams as she drove to safety Monday evening. (Jessica Adams)
Shifting winds
A haze lingered across the horizon Tuesday morning as Alberta wildfire crews in dark yellow uniforms drove heavy equipment past a blockade along the highway. Their work continued through the night to build a fire break that would hold the flames at bay if the winds shift.
Westerly winds throughout Monday meant the wildfire was being pushed east away from Whitecourt and had stayed south of Highway 43.
But officials said a change in the forecast Tuesday, including an anticipated shift in the wind direction, could make conditions more difficult for firefighters on the ground.
Winds are currently blowing out of the southwest but switching southeast later in the evening.
“These are cross-over conditions which means that the temperature is higher than the relative humidity,” Alberta Wildfire said in its update at 11 a.m. “These conditions can create more intense fire behaviour.”
The wildfire danger in the region is considered extreme with dry grass and vegetation that is feeding the flames.
Firefighters, helicopters, heavy equipment, and airtankers have been deployed to the fire-front and are battling the flames alongside municipal fire crews.
In an interview Tuesday, Alberta Wildfire information officer Caroline Charbonneau said crews are prepared for the worst if the winds shift.
"Easterly winds [today] could move the fire to the west, toward the Town of Whitecourt but, at this time, we are not concerned. We are prepared as best as we can," she said.
"We have firefighters, heavy equipment and helicopters on the fire line as we speak trying to contain the spread."
Charbonneau said it's too early to say when it will be safe for residents to return.
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Adams, who has lived in Woodlands County for 14 years, said she came home Monday to white smoke blanketing her property.
The situation seemed under control for a few hours until mid-afternoon when the smoke changed from white to a wall of black, she said.
Within hours, the police arrived at Adams’ home and told her to leave immediately, she said. She fled with her daughter, two dogs and cat but had to leave their chickens behind.
The situation changed rapidly as the fire spread. No alert was issued warning residents of the danger. An Alberta Emergency Alert was issued shortly after 5 p.m. to inform residents of the evacuation order.
“It was scary,” she said.
“As we were pulling down our driveway, it started raining down ash and as we got farther and closer to the highway, it got darker and more red and you see people’s houses on fire.”
Adams said she and her family are staying with family until the threat passes. She said she is eager for an update on the ongoing response and the extent of the damage to her community.
“I hope we can come together as a community and help everyone out.”
According to the latest size estimates from Alberta Wildfire, the fire now covers an estimated 51 hectares.
Night-vision helicopters could be heard during the night as crews fought to keep the fire from spreading.
What to pack in an emergency kit if you need to evacuate. (The Weather Network)
'I’m praying for rain'
Dave Kusch — Reeve for Woodlands County, who spoke to CBC Tuesday — said the fire took everyone by surprise, spreading “incredibly fast,” but he is grateful the evacuation went smoothly and that so many resources were deployed to help.
“They did what they could. They got there as soon as they could.”
He said people across the community are shaken, awaiting more information as the situation unfolds. Kusch said he has not received any updates on possible property damage to the many homes and farms in the region.
Dave Kusch, Woodlands County reeve, is seen here Tuesday morning in Whitecourt. He told CBC the fire moved quickly because of dry conditions. (Julia Wong/CBC)
He urged patience among evacuees, noting that he is grateful everyone made it out safely.
"You can replace a home. You can't replace a person."
No significant rainfall amounts are expected in the Whitecourt region in the short-range forecast. (The Weather Network)
Kusch said crews were able to knock back some of the flames and make progress overnight, shrinking the overall fire size by a few hectares. He said he remains hopeful that conditions will remain favourable Tuesday.
He said the risk of severe wildfires is “very real,” not only in Woodlands County, but across the province.
“I’m praying for rain.”
The wildfire is located near the neighbourhood of West Ridge and is burning about 1 km from Highway 43.
A mandatory evacuation order remains in effect for people south of Highway 43, between West Ridge subdivision (Range Road 114), east to and including Range Road 111A in Woodlands County.
Officials said evacuees should register at a reception centre that was set up at the Allan & Jean Millar Centre in Whitecourt. As of Tuesday morning, around 140 evacuees had registered, county officials said.
Highway 43 remains open but drivers are advised that speeds will be reduced and to watch for potential road closures.
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This article, written by Wallis Snowdon, was originally published for CBC News. Contains files from Emily Williams and Julia Wong.