Alberta Emergency Alerts
- As of July 23, at 2 p.m., the following Alberta emergency alerts are in effect:
- The Town of Jasper and Jasper National Park issued an evacuation order for all residents, workers and visitors due to a wildfire south of the town. Evacuees are encouraged to go to reception centres in Grande Prairie, Calgary or Edmonton.
- Grande Prairie reception centre: Bonnets Energy Centre, 10017 99 Avenue.
- Calgary reception centre: Shouldice Athletic Park, 1515 Home Road NW, Calgary.
- Edmonton reception centre: Kennedale Site Building #2, 12814 58 Street.
- Evacuation orders for Little Red River Cree Nation (John D’or Prairie, Fox Lake and Garden River) remain in effect.
- The Municipal District of Opportunity’s evacuation order for Chipewyan Lake is still in place.
- The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo placed the Hamlet of Janvier under evacuation alert on July 17, meaning residents of the hamlet do not have to evacuate but should be prepared to leave on short notice. The neighbouring community, Janvier 194, which is part of Chipewyan Prairie First Nation, is under evacuation order as of July 18.
- The Town of Jasper and Jasper National Park issued an evacuation order for all residents, workers and visitors due to a wildfire south of the town. Evacuees are encouraged to go to reception centres in Grande Prairie, Calgary or Edmonton.
- Responses are being led by the local authorities with Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA), First Nations and regional field officers on hand to provide support.
- For up-to-the-minute information, residents are encouraged to visit their local authorities’ websites and social media.
- Albertans are encouraged to download the Alberta Emergency Alert mobile app, which immediately pushes all alerts out to subscribers.
- Evacuees can also call the Government of Alberta contact Centre at 310-4455 for assistance.
Current situation
- An estimated 17,500 residents are under evacuation order provincewide. Evacuees should register online or at a reception centre.
- Evacuation orders are currently in effect for:
- The Town of Jasper and Jasper National Park
- All three communities in the Little Red River Cree Nation (John D’or Prairie, Fox Lake and Garden River);
- Chipewyan Lake; and
- Janvier 194 (Chipewyan Prairie First Nation).
- Evacuation alerts are currently in effect for:
- The Hamlet of Janvier.
- There are 170 wildfires are burning across Alberta. Priorities are being made to focus on the wildfires that pose a direct threat to human life, communities, critical infrastructure and major industrial facilities.
- The Municipality of Jasper and Jasper National Park are under an evacuation order due to a wildfire burning in Jasper National Park.
- The wildfire is under Parks Canada jurisdiction.
- Alberta’s government is providing aid in the form of personnel, helicopters and airtankers.
- Since the last report on July 22, 2024, there have been 15 new wildfires in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta.
- Semo Complex Fire (HWF061) is classified as out of control at more than 96,000 hectares in size.
- It is now approximately 2.2 kilometres from Highway 58, 13 kilometres northwest of Garden River, eight kilometres northeast of John D’Or Prairie and 4.2 kilometres from Fox Lake.
- Little Red River Cree Nation remains under a state of local emergency and evacuation orders are in effect for the Garden River, John D’Or and Fox Lake communities.
- Wildfire SWF120 is classified as out of control. It is located about 20 kilometres northwest of Chipewyan Lake and is more than 12,600 hectares in size.
- An evacuation order is in effect for Chipewyan Lake and surrounding areas.
- The Kettle River Complex, which includes wildfire LWF136, is located approximately 12 kilometres north of the community of Janvier and three kilometres from Highway 881.
- It is estimated at 500 hectares in size and is classified as out of control.
- An evacuation alert is in effect for residents of Janvier.
- Wildfire smoke may be affecting visibility on Highway 881. Visit 511 Alberta for details.
- Since January 1, there have been 940 wildfires in the Forest Protection Area, burning more than 535,000 hectares.
- Of these wildfires, 56 are classified as out of control, 50 are being held, 61 are under control and 770 have been extinguished.
- Alberta currently has more than 1,800 personnel, 156 helicopters and 21 aircraft responding to wildfires across the province.
- In addition to provincial resources, Alberta has imported firefighters, support staff, and equipment from other jurisdictions to support wildfire response and suppression efforts.
- Although lighting has caused more than half of wildfires burning today, the other half are caused by people. Albertans are urged to prevent any additional fire starts that will add to the already extreme wildfire situation.
- As of July 23, there are four wildfires of note in the Forest Protection Area. Information about these wildfires can be found by visiting the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.
- Wildfire smoke is affecting air quality in parts of Alberta. The combination of heat and very poor air quality in smoke will increase the risk to your health. Especially when taking part in strenuous activity. Visit Wildfire Smoke Information for air quality monitoring information to make informed decisions about outdoor activities to protect your health.
- Wildfire smoke can cause a variety of symptoms or health effects that can range in severity. Milder and more common symptoms of smoke exposure include:
- headaches
- a mild cough
- production of mucus
- nose, throat, eye and sinus irritation.
- In many cases, these symptoms can be managed without medical intervention.
- Applying FireSmart principles to homes and property can mitigate the risk of wildfire damage. Removing flammable materials and vegetation around the property and preventing embers from accumulating can help protect your home from wildfires. To learn more, visit FireSmart Alberta.
Fire bans
- A fire ban is in place for the entire Forest Protection Area of Alberta.
- For information on activities prohibited under this ban, visit alberta.ca/fire-bans.
- Cities, towns, villages and summer villages, as well as federal lands, such as national parks, are exempt from this ban.
- These jurisdictions have the authority to issue their own bans and may have complementary bans in place.
- Albertans should visit their local municipality’s website or social media to confirm if a fire ban is in effect in their area.
- All Albertans have a role to play in wildfire prevention. Albertans must follow all fire bans and restrictions to avoid new fire starts. If you see smoke or flames in the forest, call 310-FIRE to report it.
Getting involved in wildfire response
- Albertans who are eager to support wildfire operations near their communities can learn about opportunities to do so through the Wildfire Reservist Program. Learn more on alberta.ca
Support for evacuees
- Jasper evacuees are being routed to Calgary and Grande Prairie. Staff at Alberta Supports Centres are available to assist evacuees if needed.
- All Albertans who have evacuated their communities due to wildfires can access Alberta Supports offices from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, for assistance. Alberta Supports office locations are available at alberta.ca/alberta-supports.
- Evacuees in need of immediate emergency financial assistance as they leave their community can contact the Income Support Emergency Contact Centre at 1-866-644-5135.
- As of July 16, residents of Little Red River Cree Nation, Garden River are eligible for emergency evacuation payments.
- Individuals who are part of an evacuation order exceeding a minimum of seven days may be eligible to receive a one-time payment of $1,250 for each adult and an additional $500 for each child under the age of 18.
- People who left their home community, but who were not part of a evacuation order, are not eligible for payment.
Roads and highways
Current Status: Highway 63/881 closures:
- Highway 63 reopened at approximately 5 a.m. on July 23 to both northbound and southbound traffic.
- Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors continues to assess the safety of Highway 881. It will remain closed to traffic in both directions and will be reopened when it is safe to do so. Alberta Forestry and Parks currently has heavy equipment and manpower working along the highway.
- Notifications went out to Forestry, RMWB, Athabasca County Regional Fire Chief and other ministries.
- 511 Alberta remains the best source of information as conditions change on our highways.
Current Status: Highway 16 and Highway 93 closures:
- Currently, westbound Highway 16 past the junction with Highway 40, west of Hinton, to National Park Gates is closed by a checkpoint due to wildfires within Jasper National Park.
- Highway 93 North is closed at Saskatchewan Crossing to all traffic.
- Highway 16, from B.C. border to Tete Jaune Cache is closed for eastbound traffic. Westbound remains open for evacuation purposes.
Highway 58 closure and evacuation of LRRCN:
- A wildfire is burning approximately 10 km north of Highway 58. Garden River, John D’Or Prairie and Fox Lake are under evacuation order. Highway 58 remains closed at Range Road 112, approximately 15 km east of Boyer. RCMP are restricting access to the area with the exception of water trucks and emergency personnel. Westbound Highway 58 remains open for evacuees leaving the area. It is strongly recommended that motorists reduce speed to 60 km/h to reduce poor visibility from smoke and dust.
- Water trucks and graders have been actively working since July 15 to reduce dust and keep Highway 58 safe. Water trucks are working around the clock on staggered schedules, and calcium chloride will be added to the surface as supplies become available to supplement the efforts of the water trucks during the day.
- 511 Alberta remains the best source of information as conditions change on our highways. Visit 511.alberta.ca.
Emergency Preparedness
- Get ready for emergencies and disasters by taking simple steps now. To be prepared, Albertans need to know what to do, where to go and have enough supplies for a week or more. Supplies include food, water, medications and important documents. Include supplies for pets as well.
- Read more about emergency preparedness.
Justice
- Due to the evacuation of Jasper, court sittings scheduled for July 25 will be out of the Hinton Courthouse. Appearances may be remote or in person. Contact the Hinton Courthouse at 780-865-8280. Continue to check the website for up-to-date information: https://albertacourts.ca/cj
Health
- AHS safely evacuated 23 patients, including both acute care patients and designated supported living residents, from the Seton Jasper Healthcare Centre. Three were discharged to family and the remainder were evacuated by EMS.
- Patients and designated supported living residents were transported to health care facilities in Edson and Hinton. Two patients were flown to Prince George.
- We are also aware that a seniors lodge was evacuated separately.
- AHS has contacted families of those impacted and will continue to provide information as needed.
- AHS has a small frontline healthcare team remaining at the hospital to support people still in the community, as well as emergency responders.
Offers of support
- Any companies, individuals or organizations that would like to offer support to those impacted by the wildfires can email their offers to EmergencySupportOffers@gov.ab.ca
Related information
- Active emergency updates
- Alberta Emergency Alerts
- Download the Alberta Emergency Alerts app
- Download the Alberta Wildfire app
