Update 9: Northwest Alberta wildfire

Todayville Edmonton

Published

5 years ago

16 minute read

Due to a number of out-of-control wildfires, evacuation orders have been issued for new areas in northern Alberta.

Current situation

Chuckegg Creek wildfire, southwest of High Level, has grown to over 230,000 hectares.
Jackpot Creek wildfire, formerly west of Steen River, is about 17,000 hectares.
McMillan Complex wildfire, southwest of Bigstone Cree Nation, is over 74,500 hectares.
Maria Lake wildfire was last estimated at 5,500 hectares in size and is expected to burn into the larger McMillan Complex wildfire.
Battle Complex wildfire in Peace River is over 44,000 hectares.
Provincial resources on the ground include over 2,300 wildland firefighters and staff, approximately 200 helicopters and 27 air tankers and heavy equipment.
Cabinet approved two orders in council to release funds to cover emergency response, including structural firefighting efforts, evacuation costs, reception centre costs, and recovery costs including fire prevention, suppression, reclamation and reforestation.
New mandatory evacuations have been issued for:
- Keg River, Carcajou and all residents from the northern border of the County of Northern Lights to Township Road 922 (Notikewin Road)
- Sandy Lake
- Wabasca, the Bigstone Cree Nation and Chipewyan Lake Village
- Hamlet of Marten Beach
- Lesser Slave Lak Provincial Park
Mandatory evacuations remain in place for:
- Town of High Level and Mackenzie County areas south/southeast of town
- Dene Tha’ First Nation communities of Bushe River, Meander River and Chateh
- Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement
The Town of Slave Lake is on an 8-hour evacuation alert. This is not an evacuation order, but residents should be prepared to evacuate on short notice.
Residents should check Alberta Emergency Alerts for more detailed and frequently updated information.
Officials are preparing for residents to re-enter High Level once public safety has been confirmed.
Approximately 7,500 evacuees have registered at an evacuee reception centre.

Visit emergency.alberta.ca for detailed and frequently updated information.

Air quality

Smoke from wildfires in northern Alberta is causing poor air quality and reducing visibility.
Much of northern Alberta is under a special air quality statement.
A special air quality statement was also issued for Edmonton-St. Albert-Sherwood Park.
Individuals may experience symptoms, such as increased coughing, throat irritation, headaches or shortness of breath. Children, seniors and those with cardiovascular or lung disease, such as asthma, are especially at risk.
If you experience breathing difficulties, find an indoor place that’s cool and ventilated.
Alberta Wildfire recommends checking FireSmoke.ca to find out where the smoke is coming from.

Financial supports

You may qualify for the evacuation payment if you were:
- living, working or vacationing in the affected area
- forced to leave due to an evacuation order
- paid for most of your costs to evacuate
Albertans who qualify will receive $1,250 for each adult and $500 for each dependent child.
Applications are open:
- Apply online through the MyAlberta Evacuation Payment application using a smart phone, device or desktop. Interac e-transfers may take 24 hours to process.
- Apply in–person at any Alberta Supports Centre in Alberta.
- Before going to an Alberta Supports Centre, please check the status of the area to ensure it is safe.
- If you are visiting an Alberta Support Centre for assistance, please remember to bring:
  - Photo identification
  - Proof of residence or presence in the community
  - Identification for partner/spouse and/or dependents, if claiming for them
- Evacuees in La Crete and Fort Vermillion can apply in person at La Crete Heritage Centre (25411 Township Road 1060, south of La Crete) or Fort Vermilion Community Cultural Complex (5001 44 Avenue)
- If you require assistance registering, call 310-4455
- If you’re having technical issues, contact My Alberta Digital ID at 1-844-643-2789 (Monday to Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
More than 6,184 individuals have received evacuee support, and more than $6.2 million has been distributed.

Reception and call centres

Reception centres are open at:
- Slave Lake Legacy Centre (400 6 Avenue NE)
- High Prairie Gordon Buchanan Centre (5413 49 Street)
- Grande Prairie Regional College (10726 106 Avenue)
- Peace River Misery Mountain Ski Hill (10408 89 Street)
- La Crete Heritage Centre (25411 Township Road 1060, south of La Crete)
- Fort Vermilion Community Cultural Complex (5001 44 Avenue)
- Dene Wellness Centre (In K’atl’ Odeeche First Nation, 17 kilometres east of Hay River)
- Calling Lake Recreation Centre (2870 Central Drive)
Hours of operation for evacuation reception centres can be found at emergency.alberta.ca.
310-4455 call centre hours are extended until Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Highway closures

To stay informed on all road closures due to the wildfires, visit 511.Alberta.ca or download the mobile app.
Highway 35, Hutch Lake to the Northwest Territories border.
Highway 35 from High Level to the Northwest Territories border is open to emergency and essential commercial traffic only. Highway and wildfire conditions are being closely monitored, and the highway may be closed without warning if conditions change or safe travel is no longer possible.
Highway 35, south of High Level to Township Road 922 near Manning.
Highway 692 near Hawk Hills.
Highway 695, East and West, including Keg River.
Highway 697, from Highway 35 to Range Road 185, west of La Crete.
Highway 58, from High Level to approximately 90 km west of High Level.
Highway 754 from Highway 88 to Wabasca.
The La Crete Ferry is closed.

Insurance information

Evacuated residents should retain all of their receipts for food purchases, accommodation and other related expenses to provide to their insurer for possible reimbursement.
Most home and tenant’s insurance policies provide reasonable coverage for living expenses during an evacuation. Contact your insurance company for details.
Albertans who cannot remember or reach their insurance provider, can contact the Insurance Bureau of Canada at 1-844-227-5422 or by email at [email protected]. Information to understand your fire insurance coverage is online at ibc.ca/ab/disaster/alberta-wildfire.

Justice and legal matters

All High Level, Fort Vermillion and Chateh Court matters will be heard in Peace River. Call the Peace River Court at 780-624-6256 for inquiries on matters scheduled for this week and next. Matters will be held by phone, if necessary, but you must register your name and return phone number to do so.
In many cases, tickets can be paid online. For any other inquiries requiring direction from the court about Peace River and High Level court matters, call the Peace River Court at 780-624-6256.
If you have an appointment with a probation officer in an evacuated area, report to the community corrections office nearest you. If you do not know where the nearest one is, call 780-427-3109 (to call toll free, first dial 310-0000).
If you are an intermittent server in an evacuated area, call the Peace River Correctional Centre at 780-624-5480 (to call toll-free, first dial 310-0000) for direction.

Education

Grade 12 students in the High Level area are eligible for an exemption from their diploma exam. When a student is exempt from the diploma exam, their classroom mark will be their final mark.
These students could also write the exam if they choose to do so and can safely make it to a school, either in their community or another. Students can also defer writing the diploma exams to August.
For grades 6 and 9 provincial achievement tests, students can be excused from writing. Alternatively, these students could write the tests if they can safely make it to a school, either in their community or another.
Once students and their families have made a decision, they should contact their school division.

Provincial parks closures

Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park, Twin Lakes Provincial Recreation Area, Moose Lake Provincial Park and Notikewin Provincial Park are closed due to wildfire conditions.
Calling Lake Provincial Park campground is closed to the general public to provide accommodation to evacuees from the M.D. of Opportunity. Any existing campground reservations will be refunded. The boat launch for lake access is currently available for public day use, including for anglers participating in the fishing season starting June 1.

Boil water advisory

Boil water advisories remain in place for Meander River (Dene Tha’ First Nation) and North Tall Cree (Little Red River Cree Nation). Although power has been restored, the boil water advisories will remain in place until water testing is complete.

Health

Mental health support is available by calling Alberta’s 24-hour Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-303-2642.
Alberta Health Services is providing supports to the receptions centres. These supports include addiction and mental health, indigenous health liaisons, nursing, emergency medical services, public health, home care and more.

Pets and livestock

Animal Control are collecting household pets that have been left behind. Pets will be moved to a safe and secure location outside of the Town of High Level. Contact 780-926-2201.
The Country of Northern lights has established Temporary Access Hours from 7 am to 10 pm for residents to enter property to handle livestock care.
Residents must first go to the County Office to register for the Temporary Access Pass.
Mackenzie County has stock trailers to assist with livestock transport. Visit highlevel.ca for more information.

Donations and volunteers

The towns of High Level and Slave Lake are not accepting material donations and do not require volunteers at this time.
The Town of Slave Lake has set up an online form for offers.
Check the Mackenzie County Facebook page for an up-to-date list of donations needed and drop-off locations.

Canada Post

Canada Post has suspended mail delivery services in the communities of High Level, Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement, Meander River, Chateh and Keg River.
Mail will be held at a depot until mail service resumes.
If you require urgent access to critical items, such as medications and passports, please call 1-800-267-1177. You may be able to arrange for pick up at the Slave Lake Post Office (100 2 Street NE)
Check the Canada Post website for updates.

Income Support, Alberta Supports and AISH

Residents receiving benefits from the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) or the Income Support program by cheque rather than electronic deposit, and who are affected by the wildfire in High Level, can visit their nearest Alberta Supports Centres to pick up their cheque.
If you are in La Crete, you can pick up your cheque at the local reception centre. If you receive your benefits via direct deposit, your payment will be deposited as usual.
For information on child intervention and child care, residents may contact 1-800-638-0715.
If persons with developmental disabilities, their families or contracted service providers need human, financial, or in-kind assistance to connect with loved ones, find accommodations or provide assistance to individuals receiving PDD supports, please contact the nearest Alberta Supports Centre for assistance.
For additional information on social benefits, or to find a list of Alberta Supports Centres call 1-800-232-7215 province-wide between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Employment insurance: evacuees can visit Service Canada online to apply at canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei. Use code 4812014812201900.

Health card, driver’s licences, ID cards, birth certificate

To get a replacement Health Care Insurance Card at no cost, you can contact 780-427-1432 or toll free at 310-0000 and then 780-427-1432 when prompted. Your Alberta Personal Health Card can be mailed to a temporary address.
If driver’s licences, ID cards, and/or birth certificates were left behind during the evacuation, replacement cards and certificates can be ordered free of charge at a registry agent.

Public information

You can call 310-4455 for more information.

Photos and video available

B-roll of the Chuckegg Creek fire in northwest Alberta, taken Sunday, May 26, can be downloaded here.
Various photos are available on the Government of Alberta’s Flickr site.

Related information

Backgrounder: Previous updates

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Alberta mother accuses health agency of trying to vaccinate son against her wishes

Published on November 22, 2024

Todayville

From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

Alberta Health Services has been accused of attempting to vaccinate a child in school against his parent’s wishes.

On November 6, Alberta Health Services staffers visited Edmonton Hardisty School where they reportedly attempted to vaccinate a grade 6 student despite his parents signing a form stating that they did not wish for him to receive the vaccines.

“It is clear they do not prioritize parental rights, and in not doing so, they traumatize students,” the boy’s mother Kerri Findling told the Counter Signal.

During the school visit, AHS planned to vaccinate sixth graders with the HPV and hepatitis B vaccines. Notably, both HPV and hepatitis B are vaccines given to prevent diseases normally transmitted sexually.

Among the chief concerns about the HPV vaccine has been the high number of adverse reactions reported after taking it, including a case where a 16 year-old Australian girl was made infertile due to the vaccine.

Additionally, in 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received reports of 28 deaths associated with the HPV vaccine. Among the 6,723 adverse reactions reported that year, 142 were deemed life-threatening and 1,061 were considered serious.

Children whose parents had written “refused” on their forms were supposed to return to the classroom when the rest of the class was called into the vaccination area.

However, in this case, Findling alleged that AHS staffers told her son to proceed to the vaccination area, despite seeing that she had written “refused” on his form.

When the boy asked if he could return to the classroom, as he was certain his parents did not intend for him to receive the shots, the staff reportedly said “no.” However, he chose to return to the classroom anyway.

Following his parents’ arrival at the school, AHS claimed the incident was a misunderstanding due to a “new hire,” attesting that the mistake would have been caught before their son was vaccinated.

“If a student leaves the vaccination center without receiving the vaccine, it should be up to the parents to get the vaccine at a different time, if they so desire, not the school to enforce vaccination on behalf of AHS,” Findling declared.

Findling’s story comes just a few months after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith promised a new Bill of Rights affirming “God-given” parental authority over children.

A draft version of a forthcoming Alberta Bill of Rights provided to LifeSiteNews includes a provision beefing up parental rights, declaring the “freedom of parents to make informed decisions concerning the health, education, welfare and upbringing of their children.”

Alberta

Alberta’s fiscal update projects budget surplus, but fiscal fortunes could quickly turn

Published on November 21, 2024

Todayville

From the Fraser Institute

By Tegan Hill

According to the recent mid-year update tabled Thursday, the Smith government projects a $4.6 billion surplus in 2024/25, up from the $2.9 billion surplus projected just a few months ago. Despite the good news, Premier Smith must reduce spending to avoid budget deficits.

The fiscal update projects resource revenue of $20.3 billion in 2024/25. Today’s relatively high—but very volatile—resource revenue (including oil and gas royalties) is helping finance today’s spending and maintain a balanced budget. But it will not last forever.

For perspective, in just the last decade the Alberta government’s annual resource revenue has been as low as $2.8 billion (2015/16) and as high as $25.2 billion (2022/23).

And while the resource revenue rollercoaster is currently in Alberta’s favor, Finance Minister Nate Horner acknowledges that “risks are on the rise” as oil prices have dropped considerably and forecasters are projecting downward pressure on prices—all of which impacts resource revenue.

In fact, the government’s own estimates show a $1 change in oil prices results in an estimated $630 million revenue swing. So while the Smith government plans to maintain a surplus in 2024/25, a small change in oil prices could quickly plunge Alberta back into deficit. Premier Smith has warned that her government may fall into a budget deficit this fiscal year.

This should come as no surprise. Alberta’s been on the resource revenue rollercoaster for decades. Successive governments have increased spending during the good times of high resource revenue, but failed to rein in spending when resource revenues fell.

Previous research has shown that, in Alberta, a $1 increase in resource revenue is associated with an estimated 56-cent increase in program spending the following fiscal year (on a per-person, inflation-adjusted basis). However, a decline in resource revenue is not similarly associated with a reduction in program spending. This pattern has led to historically high levels of government spending—and budget deficits—even in more recent years.

Consider this: If this fiscal year the Smith government received an average level of resource revenue (based on levels over the last 10 years), it would receive approximately $13,000 per Albertan. Yet the government plans to spend nearly $15,000 per Albertan this fiscal year (after adjusting for inflation). That’s a huge gap of roughly $2,000—and it means the government is continuing to take big risks with the provincial budget.

Of course, if the government falls back into deficit there are implications for everyday Albertans.

When the government runs a deficit, it accumulates debt, which Albertans must pay to service. In 2024/25, the government’s debt interest payments will cost each Albertan nearly $650. That’s largely because, despite running surpluses over the last few years, Albertans are still paying for debt accumulated during the most recent string of deficits from 2008/09 to 2020/21 (excluding 2014/15), which only ended when the government enjoyed an unexpected windfall in resource revenue in 2021/22.

According to Thursday’s mid-year fiscal update, Alberta’s finances continue to be at risk. To avoid deficits, the Smith government should meaningfully reduce spending so that it’s aligned with more reliable, stable levels of revenue.