FIRE UPDATE 10 AM MAY 8

The fire remains out of control this morning.  We know that Alberta Emergency Alert has cancelled the alerts for our area and it is causing a lot of confusion for our evacuees.  We had scheduled messages to post every hour over the last 24 hours to reiterate that the fire remains out of control and that it is not safe to re-enter the community.

We do not have a timeline established for re-entry as the fire is still out of control and unpredictable.  It’s worth noting that this is a marathon, not a sprint.  The incident is not expected to end soon.  The situation is dynamic and continuously evolving.

Resources from Alberta Wildfire have been brought in to provide additional support to crews already on site.  The weather is working in our favour again today and will allow us to reinforce the fire breaks and strengthen our efforts to manage the fire.

The evacuation order remains in effect this morning for residents in the following area: from Township 480 North to Township 494 and Range Road 64 West to Range Road 90.  This includes the entire community of Drayton Valley.  From Highway 39 North on the east side of the North Saskatchewan River is NOT part of the evacuation order.

If you have not yet registered, please do so by calling 780-542-7777 or online by clicking this link and filling out the form: https://forms.gle/X36MWtqe1Z5LvkG89

Anyone that has had to leave pets behind, please use this link to register your animals https://forms.gle/42zFdD7SFWmerCed9 or call 780-542-7777.  We have a team comprised of Peace Officers and Bylaw Officers from Drayton Valley, Morinville, and Lacombe County; the SPCA; locksmiths; and veterinarians to look in on your domestic pets.