
Province to provide update as thousands more Albertans flee homes due to wildfires
CBC
Wildfires continue to rage in north and central Alberta and the list of evacuation orders are growing.
The number of active fires surpassed 100 Friday night as hot and dry conditions led to fast-spreading wildfires that threatened homes, businesses and lives.
Provincial officials, including Premier Danielle Smith, will provide an update on the wildfire situation at 11 a.m. MT in Calgary.
You can watch it here live. CBC News will be updating this story throughout the day.
One of the largest evacuations is in the Edson area, including the town's 8,000 residents. People in that area are being told to evacuate to Jasper or Hinton, as parts of Highway 16 east of the area are closed.
A total of 79 firefighters from Ontario and Quebec will arrive in Alberta today to help battle the numerous fires that have ignited over the past week.
The entire province is under a fire ban. A provincial off-highway vehicle restriction is in place. The recreational use of off-highway vehicles on public land, including on designated OHV trails, is prohibited.
More to come…