Photo courtesy Alex McCuaig - A fire burns near a homestead outside of Irvine, AB on July 27, 2019

By Alex McCuaig

Fire update

Fire threat remains extreme

Jul 29, 2019 | 5:21 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The state of local emergency remains in place with high temperatures, low soil moisture and hotspots from fires over the last week combining for an extreme risk for flareups.

The state of local emergency was put in place on Saturday following flareups from fires which began on July 23 near Suffield and Walsh.

While under control, the Walsh fire continues to be problematic with hotspots still burning in the deep coulees in and around MacKay Creek off the Graburn Road.

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Firefighters were given a brief reprieve from the hot and windy conditions which blew in last week but Monday saw the return of above 30-degree temperatures with the afternoon winds again threatening to re-ignite fires south of Walsh.

Cypress County Reeve Dan Hamilton thanked fire crews from across the region and Saskatchewan who continue the push to fully extinguish the fires.

“Cypress County would like to thank all the families at home with all the responders out right now,” said Hamilton Monday afternoon. “I know they are at home – sleepless nights – waiting for their spouses to come home. We really appreciate the efforts they have all put in.”

The latest Alberta Agriculture fire indexes show nearly the entirety of southern Alberta with an extreme fire fuel load and the southeastern portion of the province facing the highest rating for the spread of fire.