Provincial officials provide update on Alberta’s wildfire situation, as of 5:30 p.m. May 19

· A fire ban and an off-highway vehicle restriction is in place across the Forest Protection Area.

· The fire danger remains very high to extreme in northern Alberta and high to very high along the eastern slopes of the Rockies. Winds are expected to shift over the weekend.

· Current wildfire information is available on the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.

· Some communities remain affected by poor air quality. Ensure you remain up to date on special air quality statements and advisories.

o Learn more about the potential affects of wildfire smoke on your health.

· Evacuation orders: 17

· Alberta Emergency Alerts: 19 (10 orders, nine alerts)

· Number of evacuees: 10,523

· Alberta currently has more than 2,800 personnel working on wildfires. This includes support from partner agencies across Canada and the United States as well as the Canadian Armed Forces.

· An additional 24 firefighters from the northwestern United States are expected to arrive over the weekend.

New information

· While fire danger remains extreme throughout most of the province, a voluntary recreation restriction on public lands and a number of provincial park closures are in effect ahead of the long weekend.

· You can view a full list of closures and restriction details.

· The Municipal District of Lesser Slave Lake has issued an evacuation order for all residents along Old Smith Highway, from Township Road 715 (Smith Bridge) to Range Road 45 (Tollenaars Bridge).

· The Municipal District of Greenview has partially rescinded its current evacuation order, including for areas around Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation.

· The MD of Greenview has expanded its evacuation order around the area of the town of Fox Creek and hamlet of Little Smoky, specifically affecting industrial sites in the area.

· Yellowhead County has expanded the wildfire evacuation for some areas.

Support for evacuees

· Since the announcement of one-time emergency financial assistance for evacuees, more than 12,300 applications have been processed.

· More than $17.3 million in e-transfers has been sent to evacuees.

· More than $4.9 million in debit cards has been distributed.

· Debit cards are available for evacuees unable to receive an e-transfer at 18 Alberta Supports Centre locations with extended hours and at Edmonton and Calgary evacuation centres.

Donations

· Albertans who wish to help can make cash donations through the Canadian Red Cross or within their regions to a recognized charitable organization of their choice.

· The Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta will each match every dollar donated to the Canadian Red Cross 2023 Alberta Fires Appeal. This means that every $1 donated will become $3 to support those affected by the wildfires.

· The Canadian Red Cross is launching an Immediate Support to Not-for-Profit Organizations program to deliver urgent and ongoing support for people affected by wildfires across Alberta. Eligible community organizations providing immediate relief assistance may apply for $5,000 in one-time funding. View full program eligibility criteria.

· Individuals and companies with goods or services to offer or donate to support the government’s response to the wildfire can email EmergencySupportOffers@gov.ab.ca.

For more information on the emergency and supports for evacuees, go to alberta.ca/emergency.

by rdnewsNOW Staff

Provincial officials provide update on Alberta’s wildfire situation, as of 5:30 p.m. May 19

Current situation

New information

Support for evacuees

Donations

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