Alberta
Update 23: Northwest Alberta wildfires (June 20 at 4 p.m.)
Hot, dry conditions with strong winds create challenges for firefighting.
June 20, 2019
As fires spread in Mackenzie County, approximately 200 additional people evacuated on Wednesday from the area north of Highway 697, south of the Peace River and west of Steep Hill Creek, also called Range Road 164.
More than 700 evacuees from the Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement can return home today. Additional information for residents is online at https://www.facebook.com/paddleprairie
Approximately 8,500 people are still under evacuation orders.
The following communities issued mandatory evacuation orders this week:
- Beaver First Nation – Boyer River (No. 164) and Child Lake (No. 164A)
- Dene Tha’ First Nation – Bushe River (No. 207)
- Mackenzie County
- The Rocky Lane and High Level area north of the Peace River, south of Highway 58, west of Range Road 150
- The Hamlet of La Crete
- Range Road 164 to Range Road 150, south of the Peace River, north of Highway 697
- Peerless Trout First Nation – Trout Lake community and high-risk persons in the surrounding area.
The following communities remain on evacuation alert and should be ready to leave quickly if the situation changes:
- High Level
- Mackenzie County
- Area west of Range Road 164, south of the Peace River to Township Road 1010, and the Machesis Lake campground
- Bigstone Cree Nation 166 A, B, C and D
Current situation
- Chuckegg Creek wildfire, southwest of High Level, is about 330,000 hectares.
- Jackpot Creek wildfire, north of Lutose, is about 77,500 hectares.
- McMillan Wildfire Complex located in the Slave Lake Forest area, is more than 276,800 hectares.
- Check Alberta Emergency Alerts for more detailed and frequently updated information.
- People driving in fire-affected areas should carry enough fuel, as it may not be readily available.
Visit alberta.ca/emergency for detailed and frequently updated information.
Air quality
- Wildfire smoke is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility at times.
- Parts of northwestern Alberta are under special air quality statements.
- Visit FireSmoke Canada for information and resources about smoke from wildland fires.
Financial supports
- Evacuees should check alberta.ca/emergency for updates on evacuation payment eligibility.
- You may qualify for the evacuation payment if you:
- were living, working or vacationing in the affected area
- were forced to leave due to an evacuation order
- paid for most of your costs to evacuate
- were forced to leave your residence (primary, working or vacationing) due to a mandatory evacuation order.
- Albertans who qualify will receive $1,250 and $500 for each dependent child under 18 living in the same home when the evacuation order was given.
- Apply online through the MyAlberta Evacuation Payment application using a smartphone, device or desktop. Interac e-transfers may take 24 hours to process.
- If you need help applying, contact Alberta Supports to find the nearest centre: Toll-free: 1-877-644-9992 (Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.) In-person: Find an Alberta Supports Centre.
- More than 11,700 individuals have received evacuee support totalling close to $11.9 million.
Reception and call centres
- All evacuees need to register with an evacuation reception centre even if you have found alternate accommodations.
- Reception centres may assist evacuees in person and/or by phone.
- Mackenzie County evacuees must register at Fort Vermilion – Mackenzie County Office, 4511 46 Avenue, 780-927-3718.
- Evacuees from Trout Lake and high-risk persons in the surrounding area of Peerless Trout First Nation must register their location with Jennifer Auger, 780-649-6553, [email protected]. If you evacuated to Edmonton, register at Edmonton Super 8 Hotel, 16818 118 Avenue.
- The Government of Alberta contact centre is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday. Call 310-4455.
Insurance information
- Most home and tenant insurance policies provide coverage for living expenses during an evacuation.
- Evacuees should retain all of their receipts for food, accommodation and other related expenses to provide to their insurer.
- Albertans can contact the Insurance Bureau of Canada at 1-844-227-5422 or by email at [email protected]. Information about insurance coverage is available online at ibc.ca/ab/disaster/alberta-wildfire.
Re-entry information
Evacuees can find tips on re-entry by visiting https://www.alberta.ca/emergency.aspx. Information includes making sure all your utilities are working, cleaning up and how to deal with door-to-door salespeople offering services and insurance.
Justice and legal matters
- If you have an appointment with a probation officer in an evacuated area, report to the community corrections office nearest you. Please call 780-427-3109 (to call toll-free, first dial 310-0000) for information.
Boil water advisory
- A boil water advisory is in place for Meander River (Dene Tha’ First Nation).
Health
- Mental health support is available by calling Alberta’s 24-hour help line at 1-877-303-2642, the Addiction Helpline at 1-866-332-2322, or Health Link at 811.
Donations and volunteers
- Check the Mackenzie County Facebook page for an up-to-date list of donations needed and drop-off locations.
- There have been reports that local residents in High Level are being solicited by email or phone for donations in support of firefighters or affected residents. Do not share your personal information with them or donate money.
- When asked for donations (either over the phone, through an email, or in person), ask the canvasser for identification or printed information about the charity.
- If you have concerns about the activities of a charitable organization including its fundraising practices, call Service Alberta: 1-877-427-4088.
Canada Post
- Mail and parcel delivery in certain communities has been affected by the wildfires.
- Canada Post has contingency measures in place to serve residents of these communities.
- Check the Canada Post website for updates.
Other income and social supports
- Evacuees who receive Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped or Income Support benefits by cheque should contact their worker to make arrangements to receive it.
- Call Alberta Supports at 1-877-644-9992 between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday to Friday if you:
- need information on other social supports
- are a contracted service provider, family member or individual needing assistance through the Persons with Developmental Disabilities program
- Evacuees in need of financial assistance for immediate needs can apply for an Income Support program emergency needs allowance. This benefit may cover your accommodation, clothing and other urgent needs. Please call 1-877-644-9992 for more information.
- For information on child intervention and child care, call 1-800-638-0715.
- Employment insurance: evacuees can visit Service Canada online to apply at www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei.html. Use code 4812014812201900.
Health card, driver’s licences, ID cards, birth certificate
- To get a replacement Health Care Insurance Card call 780-427-1432 or toll-free at 310-0000 and then 780-427-1432 when prompted. Your Alberta Personal Health Card can be mailed to a temporary address.
- If driver’s licences, identification cards, and/or birth certificates were left behind during the evacuation, replacement cards and certificates can be ordered free of charge at a registry agent.
Public information
- You can call 310-4455 for more information – Monday to Friday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Related information
Backgrounder: Previous updates
“If Ottawa had it’s way Albertans would be left to freeze in the dark”
The ineffective federal net-zero electricity regulations will not reduce emissions or benefit Albertans but will increase costs and lead to supply shortages.
The risk of power outages during a hot summer or the depths of harsh winter cold snaps, are not unrealistic outcomes if these regulations are implemented. According to the Alberta Electric System Operator’s analysis, the regulations in question would make Alberta’s electricity system more than 100 times less reliable than the province’s supply adequacy standard. Albertans expect their electricity to remain affordable and reliable, but implementation of these regulations could increase costs by a staggering 35 per cent.
Canada’s constitution is clear. Provinces have exclusive jurisdiction over the development, conservation and management of sites and facilities in the province for the generation and production of electrical energy. That is why Alberta’s government is referring the constitutionality of the federal government’s recent net-zero electricity regulations to the Court of Appeal of Alberta.
“The federal government refused to work collaboratively or listen to Canadians while developing these regulations. The results are ineffective, unachievable and irresponsible, and place Albertans’ livelihoods – and more importantly, lives – at significant risk. Our government will not accept unconstitutional net-zero regulations that leave Albertans vulnerable to blackouts in the middle of summer and winter when they need electricity the most.”
“The introduction of the Clean Electricity Regulations in Alberta by the federal government is another example of dangerous federal overreach. These regulations will create unpredictable power outages in the months when Albertans need reliable energy the most. They will also cause power prices to soar in Alberta, which will hit our vulnerable the hardest.”
Finalized in December 2024, the federal electricity regulations impose strict carbon limits on fossil fuel power, in an attempt to force a net-zero grid, an unachievable target given current technology and infrastructure. The reliance on unproven technologies makes it almost impossible to operate natural gas plants without costly upgrades, threatening investment, grid reliability, and Alberta’s energy security.
“Ottawa’s electricity regulations will leave Albertans in the dark. They aren’t about reducing emissions – they are unconstitutional, ideological activist policies based on standards that can’t be met and technology that doesn’t exist. It will drive away investment and punish businesses, provinces and families for using natural gas for reliable, dispatchable power. We will not put families at risk from safety and affordability impacts – rationing power during the coldest days of the year – and we will continue to stand up for Albertans.”
“Albertans depend on electricity to provide for their families, power their businesses and pursue their dreams. The federal government’s Clean Electricity Regulations threaten both the affordability and reliability of our power grid, and we will not stand by as these regulations put the well-being of Albertans at risk.”
Related information
- Conference Board of Canada socio-economic Impacts of Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan – (April 2025)
- Alberta Electric System Operator’s position on Canadian Energy Regulations
Oh, Canada
We find it endlessly fascinating that most Canadians believe they live in a representative democracy, where aspiring candidates engage in authentic politicking to earn their place in office. So accustomed are Canada’s power brokers to getting their way, they rarely bother to cover their tracks. A careful reading of the notoriously pliant Canadian press makes anticipating future events in the country surprisingly straightforward.
Back in December, when Pierre Poilievre was given better than 90% odds of replacing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—and Mark Carney was still just an uncharismatic banker few had heard of—we engaged in some not-so-speculative dot-connecting and correctly predicted Carney’s rise to the top spot. Our interest was driven by the notoriously rocky relationship between Ottawa and the Province of Alberta, home to one of the world’s largest hydrocarbon reserves, and how Carney’s rise might be a catalyst for resetting Canada’s energy trajectory. In a follow-up article titled “The Fix Is In,” we laid out a few more predictions:
“Here’s how the play is likely to unfold in the weeks and months ahead: Carney will be elected Prime Minister on April 28 by a comfortable margin; [Alberta Premier Danielle] Smith will trigger a constitutional crisis, providing cover for Carney to strike a grand bargain that finally resolves longstanding tensions between the provinces and Ottawa; and large infrastructure permitting reform will fall into place. Protests against these developments will be surprisingly muted, and those who do take to the streets will be largely ignored by the media. The entire effort will be wrapped in a thicket of patriotism, with Trump portrayed as a threat even greater than climate change itself. References to carbon emissions will slowly fade…
In parallel, we expect Trump and Carney to swiftly strike a favorable deal on tariffs, padding the latter’s bona fides just as his political capital will be most needed.”
The votes have barely been counted, yet the next moves are already unfolding…
“Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she’ll make it easier for citizens to initiate a referendum on the province’s future in Canada, after warning that a Liberal win in Monday’s election could spur a groundswell of support for Alberta separatism. Smith said on Tuesday that a newly tabled elections bill will give everyday Albertans a bigger say in the province’s affairs.
‘(We’re giving) Albertans more ways to be directly involved in democracy, and to have their say on issues that matter to them,’ Smith told reporters in Edmonton.
If passed, the new law would dramatically lower the number of signatures needed to put a citizen-proposed constitutional referendum question on the ballot, setting a new threshold of 10 per cent of general election turnout — or just over 175,000, based on Alberta’s last provincial election in 2023.”
“US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is looking to make a trade deal and will visit the White House within the next week. Trump said he congratulated Carney on his election victory when the Canadian leader called on Tuesday.
‘He called me up yesterday – he said let’s make a deal,’ Trump told reporters at the White House after a televised Cabinet meeting.”
Remember where you read it first.
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