Fire evacuees allowed to check livestock

A wildfire burning in the southwestern part of Alberta remained out of control Thursday, but a government spokeswoman said fire crews were hoping to get a better handle on it.

Lynn Daina, information officer with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, said light snow and cooler temperatures helped crews get the blaze in the Municipal District of Ranchland, southwest of Calgary, up to 40 per cent contained.

“The crews continue to work on the fire. We have seven helicopters, 32 firefighters, seven bulldozers and two excavators,” she said.

“We continue to make good progress. The weather is cooperating and we’re looking forward to bumping the containment at the end of the day.”

On Wednesday, the district ordered a mandatory evacuation for residents on all of Chimney Rock Road and south to Highway 520 on the west side of Highway 22.

The order remained in effect Thursday, but landowners in the affected area were being allowed to go back to check on their livestock, fences and buildings as long as they obtained a permit. They were told they would have to be out by 6 p.m.

Daina said the evacuation order was to be re-evaluated later Thursday.

The cause of the fire, which blackened 12 square kilometres, was still under investigation. There were wind warnings in the area on Wednesday and gusts up to 100 km/h helped spread the blaze.

Highway 22 reopened to traffic Thursday after it was closed due to heavy smoke on Wednesday.

Police said there were no reports of structures lost, but they added conditions remained very dry with an extreme fire risk.