Alberta lifts wildfire state of emergency
FORT McMURRAY
EDMONTON • A provincial state of emergency declared over a raging wildfire in northern Alberta nearly two months ago has finally been lifted.
The provincial government said the declaration was ended at midnight, though it will be replaced by a local state of emergency in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo as of Friday.
It had been initiated at 3:57 p.m. on May 4, one day after the oilsands capital of Fort McMurray was put on a mandatory evacuation order, so the province could take control of the response to the disaster.
The fire forced the displacement of about 90,000 people in the region, and destroyed about 2,400 homes and other buildings.
The evacuation order was lifted a month ago and people started returning to the community.
A provincewide state of emergency has been declared only once before in Alberta, during the floods of 2013.
“While Fort McMurray is still on the path toward recovery, our government is encouraged by the significant progress the community has made to date,” Municipal Affairs Minister Danielle Larivee said in a statement.
“We are confident that a Provincial State of Emergency is no longer required in order for the municipality to continue this important work. Alberta will continue to stand with the people of Fort McMurray as they rebuild their homes and community.”
The province is working with the regional municipality to monitor the impact of the wildfire on air, soil and water quality.
According to the province, the city’s hospital is back to full operations and the government is working with childcare providers to help get their programs operational as quickly as possible.
The Fort McMurray Cancer Centre still isn’t opened, but that process is scheduled to begin July 11. A boil-water advisory remains in effect for several neighbourhoods.
The province said gas is back on in about 91 per cent of the buildings in the area, with another 2,000 yet to be hooked up.
Last month, the federal government announced it was cutting Alberta an initial cheque for about $300 million to help pay for firefighting costs and support to evacuees following the destructive wildfire. Veterans Affairs Minister and Alberta MP Kent Hehr said the advance payment from the federal-provincial disaster assistance agreement will be in Alberta’s hands by early July.
Relief agencies are continuing to work with the regional municipality and provincial government to receive, catalogue and distribute donated goods. Operations are ongoing at the Alberta Wildfire Donations Centre, a cavernous 175,000-square-foot warehouse in west Edmonton, before being distributed to residents of Fort McMurray and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo following the wildfire evacuation.