Alberta Wildfire will be in the skies tonight operating a night vision helicopter between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. as they continue operating on the wildfire near Teepee Creek.
Alongside the night vision helicopter, a wildfire crew, municipal firefighters, and heavy equipment will be operating to secure the perimeter hotspots.
Crews have completed 90 per cent of the fire guard around the perimeter of the blaze and additional crews and equipment from the MD of Greenview, the City of Grande Prairie, the MD of Smoky River, Big Lakes County, and the Town of Slave Lake will continue operating overnight.
Additionally, 20 pieces of heavy equipment, four helicopters, and approximately 80 firefighters along with eight fire engines, three fire tenders, seven commercial water trucks, two structural protection units, and two command vehicles will be supporting firefighting efforts.
Fire growth throughout the day is described as “limited” in the north and west of the fire, and officials credit the “cooperative” weather with the progress made in those areas. Air tankers and helicopters took the fight to the air today as a result of increased visibility.
No structures have been damaged and fire suppression near the at-risk homes is being provided.
The evacuation order remains in effect for the areas of Kleskun Creek North to Township Road 742 and the Riverstone Golf Course. Residents who need to access their properties must contact the call centre at 1-825-606-5166 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to obtain a permit.
The areas of Township Road 744 to 750 and Range Road 32, Township Road 744 to 730, and Range Road 32 remain under evacuation alert, but no order has been called so far.
In Valhalla, the wildfire is listed as being held at 100 hectares in size. Officials describe today as a ” good firefighting day for Alberta Wildfire” after crews managed to secure the perimeter completely and are now working to extinguish the fire.
More than 20 firefighters have begun working with pump and hose, hand tools, and a bucketing helicopter to extinguish hotspots within the perimeter’s boundaries.
