Overview

• The lightning-sparked blaze has consumed 44 hectares northeast of Slave Lake and continues to burn out of control.
• Town officials and rural residents have received evacuation alerts and are urged to pack essentials and keep vehicles fueled and ready for four- to eight-hour notices.
• Crews from the Lesser Slave Regional Fire Service and Alberta Wildfire are deploying helicopters, air tankers, heavy equipment and night-vision aircraft to establish containment lines.
• Cooler temperatures and recent rain briefly reduced fire activity, but forecasts predict a return to hot, dry conditions that could fuel further spread.
• Local authorities are leveraging 2011 wildfire experience to improve mutual aid, training and community evacuation planning for faster, more coordinated responses.