We again would like to thank everyone involved in protecting Yellowhead County. Our firefighters, residents, emergency services, Alberta Wildfire, and all of the external fire crews and organizations from across Canada who have shown up and continue to help us in our time of need.

We also want to thank everyone involved in assisting evacuees, including Reception Centre Staff in Yellowhead County, Edson, Hinton, and Jasper, staff in the Emergency Coordination Centre, and the many residents who offered to lend a helping hand.

– Fire crews from Alberta and B.C. will be doing ongoing preplanning and Structure Protection Assessments in Yellowhead County. They will be marking the area with ribbons. Please do not remove any of the ribbons, it is important that these stay in place. Please be aware of the equipment and crews in the area and let them do their work safely. This is currently happening in the following areas: from Ansell Tower Road East to River Ridge Estates and from the southern town limits of Edson to the McLeod River.

– We recommend that residents Firesmart their properties by removing debris, branches, and garbage from your area. Learn more at https://www.alberta.ca/firesmart.aspx

– As of 6:00 p.m. today there are no active evacuation alerts or orders in place in Yellowhead County. However, we want to remind everyone that it is important to be prepared with an evacuation plan and your important items in the event of an emergency. For tips and advice, visit www.alberta.ca/beprepared.

– We want to remind residents that there is still fire activity and other potential safety concerns in some areas. Firefighters and emergency services are still operating in these areas. Anyone entering firefighting areas can impact and prevent firefighting efforts.

– Please make sure you are driving safe, as smoke may make visibility a challenge, and fire crews are travelling along these roads as well. Share the road and keep everyone safe.

Our evacuation call centre will be closed from 8 p.m. tonight but will reopen May 13th at 8 a.m. Call 1-833-334-4630 with any evacuation-related questions.

Remember to call 9-1-1 during an emergency, including if you see fire. If in doubt, call 9-1-1.

Smoke is heavy in many areas. For more information on air quality, visit https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/news/air.aspx. If you have questions specific to your health and the air quality, call Healthlink at 8-1-1.

Fire-specific information such as location, size, and perimeter can be found at srd.web.alberta.ca/Edson-area-update.

Information on the provincial funding for evacuees who have been away from their home for more than 7 days (total) can be found at alberta.ca/emergency. If you’re having trouble applying online, call 310-4455.

PHOTO: Firefighters working on EWF-031 on May 11 at 5:30 p.m. – Alberta Wildfire