Latest news with #KeeTasKeeNowTribalCouncil
Global News
5 days ago
- General
- Global News
Alberta wildfire evacuees seek mental, emotional supports in Edmonton
As thousands of Albertans remain out of their homes due to nearby wildfire risks, leaders from a northern First Nation are asking Edmontonians for help in easing their people's anxieties and feeling more at home while away from their own. The Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council is comprised of Loon River First Nation – #476, Lubicon Lake Band – #453, Peerless Trout First Nation – #478, Whitefish Lake First Nation – #459 and Woodland Cree First Nation – #474. The communities are in a remote area of northern Alberta, geographically about halfway between Peace River and Fort McMurray. Hundreds of residents, specifically from the Peerless Trout and Loon River communities, were forced to flee overnight last Wednesday, when the Red Earth East Complex wildfires flared up and threatened the communities. More than 1,400 people were evacuated and are now staying in hotels and temporary accommodations throughout the Edmonton area. Story continues below advertisement 1:43 Alberta continues to cope with dangerous wildfires Richard Yellowknee is from Trout Lake and now staying at a hotel in Edmonton after being ordered to evacuate in the middle of the night. 'It was pretty hard because we had to move out of there at 3 o'clock in the morning,' he said on Tuesday, adding while their basic needs are being taken care of, it's difficult to be away from home, not knowing what they will return to. Yellowknee said his family is filling their days visiting relatives in the Edmonton area, but could use more distractions. 'We need more activities to do, something to do during the day.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We need more activities to do, something to do during the day." The tribal council said while basic needs such as food and shelter are being addressed, there is an immediate need to support the emotional, mental, and social well-being of its community members who have fled south to Edmonton. Story continues below advertisement 'In times like these, even small gestures can have profound meaning. Thank you for considering this opportunity to stand with our families during a time of great need.' To help make the evacuees feel more comfortable and take their minds off the uncertainty awaiting them back home, the Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council said on Monday it is seeking community-minded corporate and organizational partners to help provide: Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Sponsored recreational, cultural, or social activities for children, youth, and Elders (for example, Oilers watch nights, family movie outings, crafts, cultural programming, or community meals) Donated venue space or facility use to host events and gatherings Gift cards or financial support to help families meet incidental needs In-kind donations, such as hygiene kits, games, books, comfort items, or supplies for children and seniors 1:43 Shifting winds 'dramatically' impacting Alberta wildfire fight Alberta wildfires update As of publishing on Tuesday afternoon, there were 56 fires burning across the province, and 27 were out of control. Story continues below advertisement The province said after a week of extreme wildfire behavior that included multiple blazes and evacuations, Alberta is now seeing slightly improved conditions. Cooler conditions and high humidity are aiding firefighters, the government said in an update. More than 1,000 Alberta firefighters, contract firefighters and imported firefighters are currently battling wildfires across the province. Aid has also arrived from B.C., Yukon, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Washington State, Oregon and Idaho. There are nine wildfires of note in the Forest Protection Area, which is the northern Boreal forest and western foothills regions Alberta Wildfire monitors and leads firefighting efforts in. The Red Earth East Complex is made up of 10 numerous out-of-control wildfires north of Slave Lake and east of highway 88, and include: SWF085 near Chipewyan Lakes, which is currently 132,167 ha; SWF092 near Red Earth Creek and Loon Lake First Nation, which is currently 39,744 ha; SWF094, which is approximately 73,752 ha SWF095 near the Peerless Lake community, which is currently 697 ha. View image in full screen The SWF095 wildfire near the Peerless Lake community, which is part of the Red Earth East Complex, on June 2, 2025. Credit: Alberta Wildfire Because of the Red Earth East Complex fires, evacuation orders remain in effect for Chipewyan Lake, Peerless Lake, Trout Lake, Red Earth Creek and Loon River First Nation. Story continues below advertisement Alberta Wildfire said the fires in that region saw increased fire behaviour Tuesday morning. 'Crews are working on containment lines around these wildfires and bucketing operations from the air,' the province said. 1:50 More than 50 wildfires raging out of control in northern Alberta Emergency evacuation payment eligibility The Alberta government provides a one-time emergency evacuation payment to residents who had to leave their communities for seven or more days due to mandatory evacuation orders. Eligible adults receive $1,250 and $500 for each dependent child under the age of 18. Evacuees are encouraged to apply for emergency payments online. They can also call the Alberta Supports Contact Centre at 1-877-644-9992 or by visiting an Alberta Supports office for assistance. Story continues below advertisement Poor air quality due to smoke Much of northern Alberta is under an air quality advisory due to the wildfire smoke. Environment and Climate Change Canada issued alerts for an area that stretched from the Edmonton region all the way to the province's boundary with the Northwest Territories. Environment Canada meteorologists said the smoke is not only causing very poor air quality but also reduced visibility, and it changes hour by hour. People in affected areas are reminded to limit their time outdoors and keep windows and doors closed. Conditions were expected to improve by Wednesday. 3:10 Wildfire smoke impact on temperature How to donate aid The Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council said if any organizations that are in a position to assist their people — through sponsorship, in-kind donations, or co-hosting activities — their support would be both impactful and deeply appreciated. Story continues below advertisement The community said charitable tax receipts can be provided for financial contributions. Donors were asked to call to email business development director Trevor Thera ( or 780-264-6709) or reach out to Sheena Phillips ( or 780-625-5222.)
Calgary Herald
29-05-2025
- Climate
- Calgary Herald
Evacuation orders continue, Alberta oil threatened as wildfires ravage province
Orders to evacuate in the face of surging wildfires continued to spread Thursday as hot, dry conditions fuelled forest blazes in the province's north. Article content Article content That comes as much of the province came under a rarely issued red flag watch, meaning if wildfires break out, they're more like to spread and grow due to warmer temperatures, stronger winds and dry forest fuel. Article content Article content Article content Underlining the gravity of the situation at Red Earth Creek, Alberta Wildfire officials warned the evacuation route to Peace River on Hwy. 88 was being menaced by flames 'and the status could change at any moment … you may experience smoky conditions on the Highway to Peace River.' Article content About 1,300 residents of Swan Hills evacuated earlier this week to nearby Whitecourt in the face of fires that also disrupted oilfield operations. Article content Other Alberta communities, including the Village of Boyle and Thorhild County, issued local state of emergencies in May as a result of fast-moving and out-of-control fires. Article content Article content This is an Alberta Emergency Alert. The Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council is issuing a wildfire alert for Loon Lake. There is an out of control fire 10 kms south of the community that has become a danger for Loon Lake. Loon River First Nation has issued a mandatory evacuation… — Alberta Emergency Alert (@AB_EmergAlert) May 29, 2025
CBC
29-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Hundreds ordered to evacuate overnight in northern Alberta as wildfires flare
Social Sharing Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for a handful of remote northern Alberta communities as the province braces for another day of potentially explosive wildfire activity. Hundreds of people were ordered to leave their homes overnight as wildfires flared with sweltering heat and high winds straining firefighting efforts across the province. A complex of fires burning near Chipewyan Lake, about 130 kilometres west of Fort McMurray, has put a cluster of communities, including three First Nations, under threat. As of 8 a.m. Thursday there were close to 50 fires burning across the province, 16 of which were classified as out of control. A red flag watch is in effect for most of Alberta, meaning that dangerous and intense wildfire conditions are developing. The string of overnight evacuation orders began with the community of Chipewyan Lake, home to about 90 people. Around 1 a.m., about 300 residents of the neighbouring hamlet of Red Earth Creek were ordered to leave their homes and told to head to the nearby community of Peace River. Within the hour, the evacuation zone expanded to a pair of nearby First Nation communities. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for Loon River First Nation around 2 a.m. Officials with Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council say a wildfire was burning 10 kilometres to the south of the community. The First Nation is home to about 550 people. Peerless Trout First Nation also issued a mandatory evacuation order for the communities of Peerless Lake and Trout Lake, about 70 kilometres northeast of Red Earth Creek. The communities have a combined population of more than 800 people. All evacuees were asked to leave immediately and told to gather enough supplies to last at least three days. Those without transportation were being bused to safety. A checkpoint for evacuees has been established at the Legacy Centre in Slave Lake and the Baytex Energy Centre in Peace River. Swan Hills — a community of about 1,300 people — has been under evacuation since Monday. A wildfire burning north of the town has crossed a highway is within eight kilometres of the community. It continues to burn out of control and has burned 4,480 hectares. The province has faced extreme heat and high winds, with little rain for days. A cold front moving through the province Thursday will trigger a sudden shift in winds, with strong gusts from the south. Severe thunderstorms and lightning strikes could spark new fires. Officials are bracing for another wildfire season marked by extreme heat and persistent drought as wildfire activity ravages communities across the west, including Manitoba and Saskatchewan, where thousands have already faced evacuation orders.
Global News
23-05-2025
- General
- Global News
Alberta government, feds spending $7M to fund 6 new urban wildfire teams
Alberta's public safety minister says provincial and federal funding will create six teams of urban wildfire crews across the province. Mike Ellis says having six more teams means Alberta will have eight crews with specialized training to respond to fires threatening communities. He says the teams will be based in municipal fire departments and include firefighters with both structural and wildland fire training. Ellis says the teams are being strategically placed so Alberta is prepared to respond when wildfires threaten communities. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The teams will be based in Hinton, Slave Lake, Strathmore, Kananaskis Village, Lac La Biche County and one will be under the purview of the Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council. Strathmore fire chief David Sturgeon says his department will be hiring four new firefighters who will work on the team. Story continues below advertisement Alberta's two existing teams are based in High Level and Clearwater County.
