‘Out of control’ wildfire that caused evacuations in southern Alberta contained, alerts cancelled

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Two wildfires east of Highway 2 caused evacuations in southern Alberta during Sunday afternoon’s wind storm.

An emergency alert was issued for parts of southern Alberta after two wildfires began east of Highway 2. RCMP evacuated the Village of Carmangay due to one fire, describing the blaze as “out of control” and spanning 11 to 16 kilometres across. The village, located about 60 kilometres north of Lethbridge, has a population of 242.

An evacuation centre was opened at Claresholm Community Centre. The Town of Claresholm reported the blaze around 1:45 p.m.

Carmangay Mayor Stacey Hovde, speaking by phone from the village, said he believed the blaze started about 20 kilometres west, but the distance had closed to 10 kilometres a couple of hours later.

“I can see the fire. I can see the smoke,” he said.

Hovde said that on Saturday night, a separate fire destroyed the Grange Hotel in Carmangay, which had stood since 1905, adding no injuries were reported.

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“We’re having a heck of a 24 hours,” he said.

Highway 520 east of Claresholm was closed Sunday afternoon in both directions because of the fire. Highway 2 south of the town reopened around 4:10 p.m. after an overturned semi-trailer forced the road to close.

Around 7 p.m., the emergency alert was cancelled because the fire had been contained, ending the Carmangay evacuation.

Vulcan RCMP said the Municipal District of Willow Creek was working on a re-entry plan for residents who were evacuated.

“There were injuries sustained as a result of the fire and all injured persons are being treated for their injuries,” Vulcan RCMP said in a release.

Over 5,000 hectares were damaged by the blaze. RCMP helped manage three semi-rollovers and two other collisions as a result of the high winds, in addition to assisting fire crews with the wildfires. As of 8 p.m., all highways in the area had been reopened.

The second grass fire, on the Blood Reserve, west of Lethbridge, forced the evacuation of approximately 15 homes in the Fort Whoop-Up area on the east end of the Blood Reserve and caused temporary closures of a “significant portion” of Highway 509, according to the Blood Tribe.

An emergency shelter for the fire was set up at the Standoff multi-purpose building. The emergency alert was no longer in effect by 7 p.m., as emergency crews held the fires and were working on hot spots and flare-ups into the evening.,The blaze was brought control shortly before 9 p.m., the Blood Tribe said in a statement.

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Southern Alberta was under a wind watch, with a southwest wind gusting to 120 km/h in wind-prone areas, according to Environment Canada.

The wicked winds were part of a system that also prompted a wind warning and a snow squall watch for Calgary.

Environment Canada said strong, westerly winds gusting up to 100 km/h were moving from the Rockies into Calgary.

The wind could be strong enough to cause damage to buildings, particularly singles and windows, the agency said. They advised drivers to watch for changing road conditions due to the winds. Signs, garbage and other material blew through several city streets and parks Sunday afternoon.

A cold front was also expected to bring pockets of intense snowfall to southern Alberta on Sunday night and Monday morning. Environment Canada said snow and wind could combine to create near-zero visibility at times.

Snow squalls can be unpredictable and can cause weather conditions to vary considerably even across short distances.

“Changes from clear skies to heavy snow within just a few kilometres are common,” Environment Canada’s alert read.

“Visibility may be significantly and suddenly reduced to near zero.”

The advisories follow a special weather statement issued for Calgary and other parts of Alberta Saturday evening, warning Sunday’s warm afternoon temperatures could drop by 15 degrees due to the “potent” cold front.

The front could also bring with it rain showers, flurries and weak thunderstorms.

In southwestern Alberta, areas along the eastern slopes of the Rockies could see upwards of 20 centimetres of snow by Tuesday morning.

Calgary, meanwhile, had a forecasted snowfall of two to four centimetres.

— With files from The Canadian Press

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