Alberta Wildfire Emergency Alert Cancelled in Cypress County
An Alberta Emergency Alert issued on Sunday for a wildfire in Cypress County, west of Irvine, Alberta, has been cancelled. Firefighters successfully contained the blaze, preventing damage to homes and allowing evacuated residents to return.
Successful Containment
Joe Cartwright, the county's emergency management director, stated to CBC News, "We were able to contain the fire and prevent any loss of residences due to the extraordinary efforts of our firefighters and partners." This rapid response ensured the safety of residents and their properties.
Evacuation and Return
Occupants of a dozen residences that were forced to evacuate were cleared to return late Sunday afternoon. The alert, initially issued at 12:59 p.m., warned that a wildfire south of Highway 1 along Range Road 40 was threatening residential homes, with winds coming from the west. Both directions of Range Road 40 have been reopened at eastbound Highway 1, according to 511 Alberta.
Ongoing Firefighting Efforts
County spokesperson Sean Rooney noted that "fire fighters still have lots of work to do" and were expected to continue operating at the site into Sunday evening. While the immediate threat is mitigated, ongoing monitoring and suppression are crucial.
MLA Praises Regional Response
Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Justin Wright told CBC News the fire is now under control, with no homes destroyed. He praised the efforts of Cypress County, provincial wildfire response teams, HALO air ambulance, and local emergency responders. "It was really a regional response to prevent this from being a much bigger disaster," he said.
Investigation and Future Monitoring
Crews will spend the next few days responding to flare-ups or any growth of the fire. Wright stated the cause of the fire is still being investigated and pointed to dry conditions in the area as a contributing factor. The affected area is located southeast of Medicine Hat and about 330 kilometres southeast of Calgary.
