Crews battling wildfire north of Edmonton not out of the woods yet, say officials
Sturgeon County fire Chief Chad Moore says 56 homes have been evacuated as a blaze near the Redwater Provincial Recreation Area continues to burn out of control.
He says people are being urged to stay away from the evacuation area while crews from as far north as Slave Lake, Alta., battle the 3,000-hectare fire.
Officials have said the fire started over the weekend when an all-terrain vehicle caught fire after an apparent electrical or mechanical failure.
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Fire officials said in an update on Friday morning that the blaze is about 3,000-hectares in size. It is believed to have started when an ATV had an electrical or mechanical problem and caught fire. Global News
Gavin Hojka from Alberta Wildfire says strong winds on Thursday ramped up fire activity, but higher humidity and lower temperatures helped lower its intensity.
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He says firefighters are working on containing the fire's perimeter to limit its spread and that they are hoping to get residents home as soon as they can.
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'This has been an incredibly difficult situation, and we have seen incredible support from all of our community partners,' Sturgeon County Mayor Alanna Hnatiw told a news conference Friday.
'I just want to recognize the compassion and the resilience that we have seen in this community. This is definitely a testament to the strength and the enduring spirit of Sturgeon County.'
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